Entangled III
by iheartShules
Summary: Life is going great for John and Joss but they have one last obstacle left and he is a threat that could prove to be the most devastating of all. Rated T for language, sexual content, and slight graphic violence. ESTABLISHED CAREESE! Final story in the trilogy.
1. Chapter 1

_**AN: Okay, here is the third and probably the final story for Entangled which was so beautifully and originally named XD There are 16 chapters unless I write an epilogue which I'm undecided on. One moment I'm writing one, the next I think the end is fine, but knowing how I am I'll be writing one. If you haven't read Entangled or Entangled II you probably will be lost. This is definitely AU XD  
**_

_**I'm going to be posting a chapter every Friday again since it worked well for me. Thanks Elaine for proofing this and all my stories for me XOXO  
**_

_**There is one paragraph 'sex scene' in this chapter so I am rating this chapter a high T because I don't believe it's all that graphic but the overall rating of this story is T at least I think so...now I don't remember because I have written this a while ago. But if I feel like it needs an M rating I will bump it up, promise. And this story is set a month or so after Entangled II.  
**_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing like normal. **_

* * *

Joss's conscious slowly pulled at her; she sighed as she reached out to cuddle into John's arms, but found nothing but mattress. Her eyes immediately opened, finding his side of the bed empty. She rolled onto her other side finding him still in their bedroom, standing near the window, gazing out it. Moonlight glowed across his skin casting shadows. His tall body loomed, half naked, only in his boxer-briefs, with his arms were crossed across his chest.

She stretched like a cat; they had made love a couple times already, as her eyes drifted to the alarm clock. It was only three in the morning. She slowly sat up, grabbed at her discarded nightshirt pulling it onto her naked body before climbing out of bed. She padded softly over to where he stood barefoot, wrapping her arms around her new husband's waist. They had eloped yesterday afternoon, against the wishes of Harold, who they had called to meet them at the Justice of the Peace office where they were getting married. Harold had been going all out on a wedding that neither John or she wanted, so they skipped out on that and had their family meet them there. Harold had been upset, but with the promise he could throw them an extravagant party to celebrate their marriage he had conceded.

"Simon have a nightmare?" she asked quietly as she peered out the window, having to step up on her tip-toes to achieve the sight. They had a beautiful view of the Manhattan skyline because of where their home was located, and having an upstairs bedroom. It was such a breathtaking view, John tended to stare out, and she wondered half the time what he thought about when he would.

John shook his head in answer to her question almost subconsciously. Joss found herself eyeing the back of his head, noting the soft tremble that cascaded through his strong body. Suddenly it felt like she was the only one in the bedroom, because John was a million miles away. "You okay, John?" she whispered placing a soft kiss to his back. He must have been standing there for a while because his skin was somewhat cool. John's hands drifted down touching her hands that linked around his waist, linked together at his belly button. He rubbed her forearms absently. He didn't say a word, he wouldn't look at her.

She slipped her arms from around his waist, to step before him and reached up. She brushed away the tears that slipped down his cheeks. She didn't say anything as she wrapped her arms around his neck, tugged him into her arms, and held him gently. John's arms wrapped around her tightly, holding her, and she just let him calm himself. "Tell me," she whispered. John had nightmares, just as she did, remembering things of their pasts that had the ability to break them down during the nights, but whatever he dreamt that upset him enough to cry upset her.

"It's nothing," he whispered gruffly.

She shook her head pulling back. "It's not nothing if you're upset, John, tell me about it. Is it the same dream?"

"No, it was different, more terrifying then my time in captivity." He spoke so lowly she had to strain to hear him. She silently wondered what could be more terrifying then his time in captivity, the things he told her he dreamt; frightened her and she didn't even live it.

Joss lifted her hands to rub his cheeks gently. "What was more terrifying, what happened that upset you?"

"I lost you, Simon, and Taylor…you were slaughtered by ghosts of the people I murdered. I couldn't stop them, they slit your throats, laughing while they did so, asking why I deserved good things in my life when I took their lives, and I couldn't save any of you," he said, pushing her hands away. John went to walk by her, but she caught his wrist. She hated his nightmares because every single time he had one, he tried to distance himself from her; tonight was no different. She could feel it immediately; the way his body stiffened, even in the darkness his blue eyes were closed off, and he was shutting her out.

She stepped in front of him. "Don't do that, don't freeze me out, we can figure this out together," she said firmly. She was not going to lose him to some damned demons, her love for him was bigger than his pain. "I told you about my nightmares, told you how I fear that one day I'll lose you, and I'll be alone again." She lifted her hands up to his cheeks again, firmly grabbing, not letting him push her away, and forcing his gaze directly onto her. "What did you tell me?"

He licked his lips, with tears in his eyes, unshed. "You'll never be alone," he whispered.

She nodded. "I believe you, John, and I love you so much, so much so that I know that my love can heal you if you just believe in me."

"I love you, Joss."

"I know you do, John, but loving and believing me are two very different things. It's why you are trying to push me away. We just got married, we're about to adopt Simon, and now you're having nightmares of losing your new family. There's a part of you that's not healed from the wounds of your past that is fueling these nightmares because you don't feel like you deserve this life; a life with me, Simon, and Taylor." She rose up on her tiptoes pressing a loving and tender kiss to his lips. His arms tugged her close as he kissed her back. Joss didn't let him deepen it instead she dropped back down, and peered up into his eyes.

"I don't deserve this life," he said and she opened her mouth to argue with him, but he gently placed a finger to her lips. "Joss, months ago I was close to killing myself before I met you or Harold. Then you came into my life; Harold gave me a purpose to go on, I fell in love with you, and then Simon came along. This life I'm living right now feels unnatural to me, like it belongs to someone else."

She nodded her head in understanding. Of course he wasn't over his past, she knew it would take him a long time to heal, but she needed him to trust in their life and believe her that she could heal him. "This is your life; I'm your wife, you have a son, a step-son, friends who care about, and a purpose now. Your past life, the one that you had before we met, the one that nearly destroyed you is gone, and is replaced with this one that you _deserve_."

John stared at her. "You always fight for me."

"Just like you always fight for me, John," she purred as she nibbled his jawline before dropping her mouth to his neck, and finding his pulse to press a kiss there. Joss tucked her fingers into the elastic of his boxer-briefs before stepping back, and tugged him back towards their bed.

She smiled coyly at him before he pushed her back onto their bed, gently climbing on top of her; her hands immediately going for his underwear, but he grabbed them pinning them to the bed. Joss lifted her hips rubbing up against John's hardening erection as he dipped his head to capture her lips with his. She moaned softly, slowly forgetting she was going to make love to every single inch of John as his tongue tangled with hers. He made a sexy growl in the back of his throat as he released her hands, shoving the shirt out of his way.

John broke the kiss. "I believe you," he whispered. Her breath hitched at his words, as she felt him push his boxer-briefs down. He believed her, believed that she could heal him, and she felt fiercely sentimental over that. It was even more meaningful to her then hearing him say he loved her. John showed his love for her many ways, not just verbally, but physically, and spiritually. But hearing him tell her he believed her love could heal his wounds, seeing his unshakeable belief in her, shining in his expressively vulnerable gaze….meant the world to her.

Their eyes met, she wrapped her arms around his neck, her legs spreading, and she felt him positioning himself before he sunk deeply inside her in one thrust. They moaned together, as they just remained still enjoying the feeling of being joined, as one.

John dropped his forehead against hers, as his eyes slid shut, and she wrapped her legs around his hips. "God, Joss," he moaned as he slowly moved languidly. Her legs were wrapped so tightly around his hips it restricted his movements, but the deep, slow strokes were exactly what she wanted. She wanted him inside her as deeply as possible, wanting to feel him, and hold him. They made love slow at first, but their burning need for more took a hold of them both, as they rocked together. Their fingers linked as their sweet, slow, and controlled lovemaking turned hard, quick, and frenzied in seconds. They climaxed nearly simultaneously, smothering the cries of each other's names with a passionate kiss, trying not to waken the kids. They held onto one another tightly until it was over, and John slumped on top of her. She laid beneath him, breathing heavily just as he was, and allowed themselves to come off the intense high from their orgasms before she spoke.

"Look at me, please, John," she asked gently. John's eyes opened and he lifted his head off her chest. They clung to one another, every inch of their skin was touching, sticking to one another's from sweat, and they were still connected intimately. "I'm going to make you believe in happily ever after, John, because that's was what we are going to have," she assured. He leaned down kissing her tenderly, before finally withdrawing from inside her, then rolling onto his back, and tucking her into his side.

He dragged his fingers up and down her spine while she snuggled into his side, as she laid her head on his chest listening to him as his breathing slowly evened out after several minutes. His hand stilled on the small of her back, she smiled softly as she lifted her head, seeing he was asleep. "I do enjoy being your personal sleep-aide." She whispered as she kissed his heart. Joss shook her hair out of her way, laid her cheek against his chest, and curled into him, slowly falling back asleep herself. 

* * *

Joss parked her car, yawning mightily after the night she had with John, quietly exiting it before opening the backseat door to unbuckle Simon from his car-seat. Last night, having that talk about his nightmare, then making love to John had kept them busy. She had gotten only another hour or so of sleep before having to get up, while John went to work and she took Simon to his doctor's appointment.

Simon sipped his Apple Juice box, his little turtle buckled in the seat beside him as he dragged the thing everywhere he went. She smiled down at him, affectionately running her hand through his soft, so short like daddy's, and darkening brown hair. She'd say by Christmas her son's hair was going to be a dark chestnut color, she sort of missed his golden locks.

She gently picked him up into her arms, putting his near-empty juice box back in the car, before sliding the door shut. He was such a happy boy as was he a very intelligent boy. But he was skittish. He was very shy when he was around strangers, especially females which definitely helped with stranger danger, but it worried her for when it came time to go to preschool. His upbringing before he was found by John was the culprit she was sure. She walked to the other side of the car, unbuckled Leo, handed him to Simon and shut the door before turning with him in his arms and walked towards the park.

This morning Joss had taken him to a pediatrician (a woman so Simon could slowly get over his fear of females besides her and Shaw) to make sure he was healthy and growing. Simon was so tiny she was afraid his growth was being stunted or something. Dr. Juliet Andrews said he was growing, just slowly, and that he might be just a late bloomer. Simon was given a clean bill of health, he was only slow on his height but weight wise he was perfect and he was healthy as any three year old who had not gone through his ordeal. She even noticed his nightmares were starting to fade while his daddy's were getting worse.

So to celebrate him being so good with the doctor and not shying away from her, she wanted to take him somewhere to play, then out to lunch and get him a Kids Meal, followed by going to pick out his Halloween costume. Joss couldn't believe Halloween was just right around the corner. She smiled, John and Simon were going to be in for a treat, since she was sure Simon and John both hadn't celebrated Halloween, Thanksgiving, or Christmas. Joss was going to have to speak to Harold to make sure it was something they always remembered, their first holidays.

"Momma where is we?"

"We are at Central Park, where we are going to play since you were a good boy at the doctor's."

"Pway?" he smiled and she nodded her head. She bypassed a few people before being stopped by several women from old to young alike who wanted to say hi to the cute little boy in her arms. Simon got bashful, hiding his tiny face into her neck.

"Sorry, my boy is a bit shy, he's just like his daddy," she said with a smile. John and Simon were two peas in a pod, they might not be bound biologically but they were so similar it was like they were. Had she not known Simon was born to different parents she would have said he was John's biological child. Simon had similar large blue eyes like John, had a similar personality and they adored one another. The women left and Simon's head finally made its way out from its hiding spot in her neck. "You are going to eventually love this kind of attention, while I'll hate it because you are my little munchkin," she told her toddler who didn't seem to care, because as of right now he wanted no part of the female population besides her and Shaw.

She rounded the corner and found the playground she was determined to get Simon acquainted with. The little boy's large blue eyes grew larger, his little mouth opened, and his little arm clutched her and his turtle tighter. John had mentioned a couple months ago that Simon was scared of the playground equipment, which is where she was currently carrying her cute little man to conquer his fear.

This week was going to be busy; Thursday was Halloween, then Friday they signed the adoption papers making Simon theirs legally, and that made her clutch him tighter in joy. After he was theirs legally, Joss was legally changing Simon's name to include a middle name which would be Davis. She smiled at the thought of having Simon's legal name being Simon Davis Warren, because she wanted Simon to somehow someway have John's legal surname without anyone being alerted. Joss felt so giddy, John had no clue she was doing such a thing and Harold loved the idea.

"Momma," he curled into her, wrapping his arms around her neck growing scared as they approached the playground. John told her he took him to Central Park and he had grown frightened of the plastic slide. She eyed the slide. She knew why it scared him. It was much bigger than the boy. But she knew the remedy of it to prove to him he didn't have to be scared, something she was sure John hadn't thought of.

"It's okay sweet-pea, momma's here." She assured stroking his hair. "Because we are going to do it together, honey, I'm going to be with you every step of the way." She clutched him in one arm, while she used her other to help her climb the steps of the slide. It was big enough and sturdy enough for adults, thankfully.

"Me and momma?" he questioned as he upturned his little face as she situated herself into a seated position, then Simon on her lap, and his turtle clutched to him. She had brought him here early in the morning before the playground got too busy, it helped that school was back in session and fall was setting in. Simon was wearing his new TMNT sweatshirt to ward off the chill in the air, soon they would have to break out the tiny green winter coat they got him. She wrapped a secure arm around him. Her baby was shaking like a little leaf, obviously scared of the slide.

"We won't go until you and Leo are ready." She assured him, stroking his face, leaning forward so he could see her eyes. "But I promise you, momma wouldn't take you on this if it would hurt you, Simon," she promised.

"Wat 'ppen?" he questioned with his shaking subsiding as curiosity slowly overtook him. She smiled, knowing that he was just scared of the big foreign object; now that he was seated at the top of the enclosed slide it wasn't nearly as frightening as it had been from afar.

"Well, my munchkin, we push off from up here, and we go sliding down and have fun. But we as we go down we have to shout 'WEEEE', okay?"

"Hold me, momma."

"Of course," she agreed solemnly as she snuggled him tighter in her lap. "Are you ready?" she asked quietly. She felt Simon draw in a big breath before hugging his turtle.

"Yea, momma." He was such a little trooper. She pushed forward, squeezing him, praying he would enjoy it. He squealed as they slid down the plastic slide, but not out of terror, but rather happiness. Joss wanted to pump her fist in victory when they reached the ground. She let him slip from her lap, he stood on the wood-chips and was bouncing on his feet, his little TMNT sneakers lighting up, Leo his stuffed turtle appeared to almost dance along with him as she got off the slide. "Go again, momma."

"In a minute, this was a big achievement, we need to call daddy and tell him what our big boy did," she suggested, knowing Simon would love to talk to daddy. His eyes lit up as she pulled out her cell phone, she bent to let him wrap his arm around her neck, and she picked him up. John answered on the fourth ring, which worried her.

"Hello," his breath came out short like he was running.

But before Joss could ask John if she should call back, Simon was talking a mile a minute to tell daddy all about their adventure on the slide. She giggled as he tried his hardest at explaining what they were doing, but she was sure John had not a clue what he was saying. But when John didn't say anything, she grew real worried, he always managed an 'ooh' or 'aww' for Simon.

"Are you okay?" she asked, concerned when he still didn't respond.

"Been better, I'll have to call you back." He hung up without another word. Simon had no idea something was up with daddy, begging to go again. Joss carried him around the slide as she called Harold, she hurried up the stairs determined to keep her promise to Simon to go again, but also find out what's going on with her husband. Come on, come on, pick up Harold.

"Yes, detective?" he answered shortly sounding out of breath too.

"Is John alright? I called him to let him know that Simon conquered the slide and he sounded out of breath and distracted." John never purposely ignored what Simon said, never in a million years would he unless he was injured or in protective mode. She prayed it was the latter.

"I don't want to worry you but John was shot."

"WHAT!" she snapped, keeping calm while she slid down the slide with Simon who squealed happily again. Joss tucked him in her arms as she ran away from the slide. "Sorry baby, we have to go," she murmured. "Where was he shot?" she demanded as she ran with Simon clutched tight to her.

Finch was quiet for a few moments before he answered. "Jocelyn," he begun and she could hear the runaround before he even attempted it.

"Where was he shot?" she demanded again.

"He was grazed across the side of his face." Joss stopped dead in her tracks.

"He was almost shot in the head," she whispered. She blinked away the burning at the backs of her eyes because she did not want Simon upset. "Where is he? I'll drop Simon off with Fusco and go get him."

"He's currently on the run with Ms. Shaw."

She furrowed her brows in concern. "Shaw is there too?"

"Ms. Shaw was gunned down. When Mr. Reese was trying to save her was he was shot himself." She had just gotten Simon back in the car-seat when she froze once more. She straightened while Simon had no idea what was going on.

"Shaw was shot? Is she alright?"

"I'm not sure, John and Shaw both disconnected with me." Joss closed her eyes. If anything happened to that tiny annoyance she was going to kill her herself. Somehow, someway Shaw had become an important person to her, one of her friends, and Joss didn't want anything to happen to the emotionally stunted former government assassin.

"Give me their last known whereabouts and I'll help you, Finch."

"No, no take care of Simon, I'll go. I promise, Joss, that John will be coming home."

"Yeah, well make sure that tiny friend of ours is alright too."

"Will do," he agreed and hung up.

"Sorry baby we need to change plans and head home." She whispered to Simon before finishing buckling him up, rushed, putting Leo in his seatbelt too, climbed into her car and sped home. 

* * *

"Carter is going to bitch at you," Shaw snapped through gritted teeth as they sat in her car. He was just in his undershirt, having taken off his dress shirt to rip the sleeve off to wrap it around her leg wound, tying it there, trying to apply direct pressure. Brandon Reed had hit a main artery in Shaw's leg, he had to get her to Dr. Tillman where she could stitch her up or she would bleed out. He sped up her car when he noticed the amount of blood seeping out of her.

"I'm fine," he grimaced as blood slipped down his cheek, not unnoticed, dripping from his chin onto his pants. "It's you I'm worried about, the bullet grazed me, I just need some stitches, besides, as Joss loves to tell me, I have a hard head," hetried to joke. But judging by the glare he felt from Shaw he could tell that his joke fell flat.

"You nearly got you head shot off trying to help me, Reese," she hissed.

"But I didn't."

"The blood spilling down the side of your face says it came damn close," she growled. He looked at her, making sure she was holding his shirt to her wound firmly, glad she was, and then looked into her brown eyes. He saw something swimming in them. He couldn't be sure what it was, so he shrugged, and focused on driving fast but safely to Dr. Tillman's urgent care facility. He had no idea what she wanted him to say.

"I'm fine, you're upset for nothing."

"I'm not upset, I'm pissed, because Carter is going to kill me for you nearly getting shot in the head," Shaw said, hiding behind that, because right at this moment she had no idea what she felt. But she felt something over this man risking his life to save her pathetic one. He had a new wife, a new son, and a family he had always wanted, but had risked it all to save her.

"Shaw, I won't apologize for saving your life if that's what you want," he stated, irritated that she was acting the way she was about this as he lurched the car forward when the light turned green. They were nearly to the urgent care that Dr. Tillman ran. "You would have done the same for me."

John parked the car, seeing Dr. Tillman waiting for them near the doors, and he exited hurriedly. He rounded the car to help Shaw out which annoyed her. John grumbled something about her being too much like Carter, knowing she would probably shoot him; but he wasn't going to let her bleed out because of her wounded pride so he picked her up and rushed her to the urgent care facility where Dr. Tillman awaited them. 

* * *

Joss paced the floor back and forth. "Mom, he's fine, and so is Sameen." Taylor attempted again to placate her. He had Simon in his lap, who was playing with his LeapFrog LeapPad tablet, having moved on to learning how to read since he mastered his alphabet, his numbers, shapes, and colors. Taylor was attempting to study, having driven back home from college to see them get married and hang out here for the weekend.

"I'll know that once I see them," Joss assured him as she paced some more. She had made up the guest bedroom after they all agreed to not take Shaw home knowing she wouldn't take the necessary time to heal. She had readily offered up their guest bedroom which had shocked John, but then he agreed that they needed to watch over their fallen comrade. They could handle a few days of the woman's annoying ribbing, sexual comments, and bad manners.

Joss turned her head when the steel door to their home opened, relief flooded her when she saw John, Finch, and Shaw. Shaw had a crutch under her one arm, her tight black pants cut away on the right leg, and she was looking ornery. Joss hurried over to them as they shut the steel door, rearming the alarm. She threw her arms around John who barely had taken Shaw's and Finch's coats to hang them up in the closet right near the door, before she was in his arms.

"We're fine," he whispered.

"I'll be the judge of that," she assured him, taking a step back, raking a keen glance down Shaw to her bandaged leg and then to John. Her breath stopped in her chest as she eyed the long stitched gash across the side of his face. Some of his hair was cut off to finish the stitches. She grabbed his chin roughly to look at it better. John lifted his hand to remove hers from his face. "Let me see." She knew her tone was harsh but it was because she was afraid she was about to cry, his hand dropped down. When she was satisfied that the stitches were done right, she let go of his chin, but her hand grabbed at his unwilling to stop touching him.

Simon was bouncing around their feet wanting to see his daddy and his Aunt Shaw, and Uncle Harold. "Uh-oh, Aunt Saw has boo-boo." Simon pointed. Shaw looked down at Simon, smiling a little.

"Yeah squirt, nothing a little r and r can't fix," she agreed slowly. Simon wrapped his arms around her leg as gently as possible before giving her bandage a little kiss. He upturned his face with a smile.

"Aunt Saw better?"

"Yeah kid, I'm better," Shaw answered roughly before peeling out of there as fast as she could on her crutch. Joss smiled not fooled. Shaw had a glistening in her eyes. Shaw was touched by the kid's attempt and she snickered. No matter how hard Shaw tried to remain the tin man they were breaking through.

John shared a look with her, obviously having seen Shaw's reaction too. "Careful Simon, you are making Aunt Shaw feel something," he said as he bent down to pick up Simon who kissed his cheek trying to make his daddy better too.

"Daddy better?" he asked sweetly as he reached out touching John's cheek, near his stitches.

"Yeah, Simon, you made daddy better," he agreed happily as he carried their munchkin back into the family room where Shaw had turned on their new giant 70 inch television. She and Taylor were already putting on the game console. She watched the man she loved enter the living room, sitting down with Simon who eagerly sat on his lap to watch Shaw and Taylor play the video game of their choice. She noticed they had picked up Call of Duty, clearly Shaw needed to work out some anger and playing a first person shooter game was just the ticket.

She turned to eye Finch. "Are they really alright? I'm going to lecture John until he's blue in the face tonight, but in private."

"Yes, Jocelyn, they are both alright. Ms. Shaw was shot in the leg, hitting an artery which is why John needed to rush her to the urgent care to stitch the wound up."

"How did he get shot?"

"John and Sameen had been trying to save our new number when Mr. Reed had been trying to escape; they had gotten into a gunfight, Mr. Reed had shot Ms. Shaw in the leg when she tried to go save our number. John had rushed to her in an attempt to get her to safety and staunch the blood flow, knowing that if he did not apply pressure to the wound that Ms. Shaw would have bled out in the alleyway. John was grazed as he carried Ms. Shaw to safety to hide behind a dumpster which allowed Mr. Reed to escape."

"Brandon Reed did this to them?" She knew they were still dealing with that psycho but they hadn't called her in to help them out with any numbers in regards to Brandon Reed. She had been sort of hoping that meant he was already dealt with but in the back of her head she had known had that been a possibility John would have already told her he was gone. "What happened to the number?"

"He was killed by Brandon Reed before we even had a chance to get there to him, we received his number late. I don't think the machine knows in advance who Brandon Reed chooses," Finch explained and she nodded.

"To be honest, Harold, I don't even think Brandon Reed knows who he chooses in advance, this guy is not your typical serial killer. We have to stop Brandon Reed. He's a danger to society and he's a danger to Simon." She said eyeing her family in the living room.

"I know, which is why I think we need to lure him out."

Joss quickly turned to look him in the eyes. "How are we going to do that, Harold, when he chooses based on his own subjective opinion?"

"By giving him a new target that resembles his departed father and step-mother, someone that will remind him of them, which will namely be me. If we can't get the numbers of his targets in time, maybe if we set up bait of someone we know he'd go after then we can catch him before anyone else gets hurt."

She nodded her head. "Using bait is a good plan but not you, Harold, that won't happen."

"Jocelyn…"

But she held up her hand, refusing to hear his reasoning. "No, it's out of the question, you are not putting yourself in that sort of situation. You don't even like guns, Finch, but I'll do it. You can come up with the absolute worst alias for me to ever be conceived so that I jump up to the front of the line that needs to be cured of her filthy ways." She said keeping an eye on those she cared for in the living room.

"Jocelyn, John will not agree to his new wife being bait to Mr. Brandon Reed."

She shifted her gaze back onto him. "And you think he'd agree to use you, Harold, the man he views as the man that saved him by giving him a purpose to go? I don't think so."

"I think you overestimate my value in John's life. All I did was give him a job, you saved him, not me."

Joss smiled softly at the man she loved as he held Simon, while they watched Taylor and Shaw. "I think it was a joint effort, Finch," she admitted as she turned to pin him with a look. "You are vastly underestimating your value in my husband's life, because if it weren't for you he wouldn't be here. You gave my husband something he needed—a purpose, a reason to live, which gave me the chance to show him what real trust and real love was all about."

Harold stared at her and she stared right back. "You really believe I helped save John, Jocelyn?"

"Yes I do, Finch, but can I ask you a question?" she asked and he nodded his head. "How do you know him, and I mean before he was our number."

Harold's eyes drifted to the living room where John remained, having no idea of their deep discussion over him. "John's number has come up twice, once when I was working by myself, and then again, this most recent time, when he kidnapped you, but neither of those times were when I first met him. I had seen him twice before, when he was working in the CIA already known as John Reese, but even then that hadn't been my first sighting of John."

She eyed him in shock. So John's number had come up previously before the time Kara was to execute him? But what was more shocking were the numerous times Harold had seen her husband. "So when exactly was your first sighting of my husband, Finch?"

"I met John a long time ago. Well, met is a strong term since I remained in the shadows and we were never formally introduced, but I knew who he was before he ever became John Reese." Joss felt her breath catch. He had met or seen John when he had been just John Davis?

"What was he like?" she asked softly, gaining Harold's attention.

They stared at one another for a few moments before he spoke. "Perhaps we could persuade Lionel Fusco to pose as bait, because this plan of you being Mr. Reed's bait will only serve to bring about an argument between you and John," Harold said instead, clearly not wishing to answer her question.

"No I'm doing it," she assured him before she grabbed his hand. "Please, Harold, tell me what was he like," Joss pleaded. She knew she would never get to see the man before all the years of mental, emotional, and physical abuse he endured, thanks to the CIA days. But she hoped that John had at least lived somewhat of a happy life before they had gotten a hold of him.

"He was young the first time I saw him, had an innocent smile, and was and forever will be a good man," Harold assured her with a light touch to her shoulder, before he limped into the living room, leaving her alone lost in thought. 

* * *

AN: And so it begins, I had to give a nice mom/son moment between Simon and Joss since I didn't get to fit it in the first one as much as I wanted too. So it got bumped to the first chapter of the next story.

Thanks for reading, I hope you guys are in for a wild ride XD


	2. Chapter 2

_**AN: Minor sexual situation at the beginning of the chapter but otherwise no warnings are needed. I hope you enjoy!**_

* * *

Joss sighed as they lay in bed, snuggled to John after a round of intense lovemaking; she kissed his chest. "Well that was amazing, I should 'almost' get shot in the head more often," John teased before yawning.

"Don't even think about it," she warned and he smiled. She had lectured him, fussed with his injury, and generally was a pain in his butt until she pushed him onto his back and made love to him. She had thought about her conversation with Harold, her mind envisioned a young John with the same piercing blue eyes of his, and a smile that was contagious. She wished she had gotten a chance to meet the young man that had been so innocent to give that ready smile. Her husband was guarded, he smiled, but often it was brief and gone before you blinked. Joss worked overtime on some days or nights to get one out of him at all when she got one, she felt rewarded because it was the most beautiful sight.

"Hey, what are you thinking about?" he questioned.

She smiled at him. "Just thinking you should smile more," she said, keeping what Finch had told her to herself. Why rile him up about the fact that Finch had admitted to knowing him a very long time ago. Besides she needed to tell him Harold's plan for Brandon Reed and her role in it which would rile him up enough. But she wanted to keep the light mood for a bit longer, so she procrastinated. "What's up with Shaw?" she questioned.

"What do you mean?" he wondered as he ran a hand up and down her naked back.

"I don't know, she just is acting funny." Their friend had been quiet the rest of the night, had been shooting looks at John, and furiously played the video game with her kid until he quit to go to bed. Simon had crawled into her lap watching them play, until he fell asleep. Joss had picked him up out of Shaw's lap, seeing an odd but intense look on her face as she did so.

"Well she was pissed at me for saving her."

"Why?"

He shrugged, then let out another yawn. "I don't know, ask her, she might actually tell you. She likes you," he suggested; she decided she might just do that when John, Simon, and Taylor were gone. Shaw would be here for at least a couple days, there had to be some time they'd be alone. "We need to end this thing with Brandon Reed; it's not safe for anyone but especially Simon with him on the loose."

"I agree," she started slowly. "And speaking of him, Finch had a good idea." It was now or never. May as well as get the fight out of the way now, then more making love to calm him down.

"Oh yeah, what's his plan?" John asked, looking her in the eyes. He narrowed his when she shifted her gaze off of him, finding a nice patch of his bare skin to stare holes into. He lifted her chin to force her gaze back on his. "What is Finch's bad idea that you don't want to tell me, Joss?"

"He wants to lure him out using bait." She said slowly and John immediately shook his head. "John, it's a good plan" She started.

"No, Harold is not going to lure this guy out."

"You're right, Harold's not…because I am the one that is going to pose as a rich billionaire snob."

"No."

"Why not?" she demanded, resting her elbows on his chest to glare up at him.

"Easy, because you're not doing it," he explained.

Joss felt a surge of anger spike in her. "You don't get to tell me what I can and cannot do, John."

"The hell I can't, I'm your husband now," he stated with a possessive grabbing of her around the waist. His arms were like steel bands around her as she wiggled to get up.

"Just because we are married now does not mean you get to tell me what I get to do. Give input, yes, but dictate to me, no," she snapped as she struggled in his arms. Their eyes met and she saw anger radiating in his. How dare he be mad at her for being mad at him! She had the right here, he was telling her what she could do like a child! "Let go, John," she demanded which he did ever so slowly and she slid from bed, yanking on her robe. He was out of bed seconds after her, yanking on his underwear and then was standing before her.

"Fine, here's my input? I don't want you anywhere near that guy, so you're not doing this." he grated.

Joss rolled her eyes. "Oh real good input, John; but I wasn't asking for your permission since I am not a child, I'm your wife."

"Like you asked for my permission for this home?"

She scoffed. "You really are going to throw that in my face?! You love it here, John; you love everything about our life!"

"And I want you to live long enough to experience it," he growled as he clamped an arm around her waist tugging her to him. Her hands went behind her trying to free herself from his steely grasp as she lifted her chin, their mouths were inches from one another's. Even though she was so damned pissed off, she felt a flicker of arousal. Anytime they touched it was her heavenly hell. John's thick thigh was between her legs, her flimsy robe and his underwear were the only barriers from her naked skin touching his.

Joss shoved the lusty need for her husband away. "I'll be fine, John," she said proud of herself that her voice came off abrupt rather than husky and breathless.

"I almost lost you because of Kara."

She rested her hands on his bare shoulders, squashing the urge to squirm as an ache spread through her throbbing sex. Her nipples were hard, and she cursed herself for having such a reaction to her husband even when she was so mad at him she could skin his behind! She refused to drop her gaze to his mouth or they would be back in bed having sex rather than finishing their argument.

"That was a while ago John and, newsflash, I'm right here. This has nothing to do with me or the fact that you know I can handle myself! It's about you."

"Me?"

"Yes, you, John. You're the one that's having nightmares of losing your family. You are balking at this idea because I'm the one putting myself up as bait and not you! But I'm doing this and there is no discussion," she said firmly.

His jaw ticked as his teeth clenched together, and he stared at her. "I thought I got to have an input," he ground out.

She nodded. "You do, it was noted, but it doesn't change the fact that I need to do this for us. John, you can't do it, neither can Shaw since Brandon Reed has already seen your faces. That only leaves me or Harold. Harold doesn't like guns and the threat is to _our_ son, so I'm going to protect him, not anyone else."

John's body softened, his tight grasp of her gave way to holding her rather than clenching her to him, and the anger evaporated from his eyes in seconds. He swallowed hard before looking down. "You are asking me to be alright with you offering yourself up to a guy that shot Shaw and nearly shot me in the head? How do you even think I'd be okay with that?" he asked as he lifted his gaze back up to hers.

Joss softened too, knowing this was all coming from the place inside John that was scared of losing her and was willing to do anything to protect her, and she slid her hands around his neck. "Because you trust me, because you know I can do this and be safe. You know me, John, you know I can handle myself in any situation. You're worried and I understand that, because I worry about you every morning when you leave our home."

"Joss…" she closed the small gap between their mouths, kissing his lips gently and ceasing his words.

She let her lips linger lightly on his before she pulled back to peer up into his eyes. "You know I'll be fine, which is why we are going to lay back down and you're going to make love to me before you go to sleep so you are energized for work with the numbers tomorrow," She said with a smile. "Once we take care of Brandon Reed our son will be safe, period, end of story. That horrible chapter of his life will be over forever, he'll be safe. Now you want that, don't you?"

"Of course I do, of course I want our son safe, but…" she ignored the 'but,' lifting up, kissing him again, before pushing him back onto their bed. Joss got rid of his pesky underwear quickly, smiling down at him, glad to know she wasn't the only one who got hot and bothered during their fights, before she leisurely knelt between his legs kissing the tip of his burgeoning penis. "….Joss, I have a stipulation." He moaned as his hand rested in her hair, while she licked him playfully. His already semi-erect cock was hardening for her quickly.

"Sure, give it to me." Just because she was willing to hear his stipulation, didn't mean she had to agree to it.

Joss proceeded to tease him with her mouth knowing just what to do to get John going. "Make Fusco your assistant, so you have backup with you," he managed to say before he groaned as she sucked gently on the head of his cock. "God, please, Joss, do this for me." She released him from her mouth to smile up at him.

She could handle that stipulation, since it got what she wanted, and John got to make sure she was safe. "Sure, he can be my driver/assistant," she agreed, knowing Lionel would hate that. "Now shut up, I'm going to pleasure you, my love," she suggested and surprisingly John did as she asked.

* * *

Joss stretched. She felt so mighty good this morning. She got her way last night, then some hot makeup sex with her husband, all in all it was a very good night. She grabbed her discarded satin robe before exiting the bedroom. She made her way to her son's room, poking her head in to see if he was still asleep, and was shocked to find his turtle-shell bunk bed empty. In fact the bedroom was completely empty.

"Simon!" she called as she whirled around rushing down the spiral staircase. "Baby, where are you?" she wasn't going to panic, there was no way he could get out the front door, hell no one could get in or out since it took a long ten digit code to get in and out, and if you messed up once you had to redo it all over again! Finch had been considering installing a mechanism on the steel door that required retina scans to get in. There was no way she was going to have a retina scan to get in her own damn home, which the man thankfully listened to their adamant refusal. And the blast/bulletproof glass sliding door that led to the backyard, which Finch had childproofed, Simon couldn't reach the lock to open the door. Maybe Taylor heard him and took him downstairs. She landed on the floor of the foyer, whipping around the banister to run to the sliding door but drew up short, grabbing at her chest as her heart thundered, and she closed her eyes as she calmed down. She found Simon on Shaw's lap in the living room, watching Sesame Street, drinking from his TMNT sippy cup. Oh thank god!

"You okay there, Carter? You look like you've seen Lionel naked." Shaw questioned, lifting her dark gaze off the television to gaze at her. She merely nodded her head, trying to get her breath back. She felt ridiculous for worrying. But with Brandon Reed shooting Shaw and John, she was a mess and was stressed to the max. She wouldn't relax until that man was off the streets.

She waved her off, "Yeah, I'm fine, I just checked in his room and found it empty, nearly gave myself a heart attack. John's paranoia is getting to me."

"He was up when Reese was getting ready to leave for the library, so he carried the mini him down with him. We've been watching Sesame Street since. The kid loves Big Bird and the Cookie Monster, the kid thinks that I'm like the Cookie Monster." She offered up the explanation as Simon slid off her lap to rush her. Joss readily squatted down awaiting the hug. His little body slammed into her and she picked him up. She peppered him with kisses.

"That's because you are the Cookie Monster, Shaw; your stomach is a bottomless pit." Joss replied in between smacking kisses of her son. "And quite frankly I sort of hate you because you don't gain a single ounce, if I ate half the amount of food you scarf down I'd weigh a ton!"

"Momma," Simon squealed as he wiggled and giggled in her grasp as she tickled him. She settled him in her arms, looking at Shaw who was watching them with an unknown expression.

"You okay, Shaw, I was just joking, I don't hate you about the weight thing….well not really." Joss said lightly. Shaw waved her off with a smile. But she still had that unknown expression on her unreadable face. "Seriously, you have been acting a little funny since you got here last night, are you alright?" Joss asked gently as she set her son back on his little feet that tore off to wiggle his way back onto Aunt Shaw's lap to watch more Sesame Street.

"Fine," she muttered.

"You sure? Something seems to be bothering you."

"Nothing bothers me, Carter," she assured her, looking back at the television, feigning interest in Elmo. Joss nodded, sensing the woman wasn't ready to fess up about what was upsetting her.

Joss tightened her robe a little, sort of missing the woman that would make crude remarks of her and John's sex life. The woman lived and breathed to annoy them, the Shaw clone that replaced the other annoying one was unnerving. She had an hour or so before work, so she had time to get some breakfast in before she took a shower. "You want me to make some breakfast, I'm not 'John good' but I do okay."

"Hell yes!" Shaw agreed, the sour look on her face gone, replaced with a hungry look.

She tapped her foot, crossing her arms over her chest much like she would if she was reprimanding Taylor or Simon. "What did we tell you about swearing in front of little ears, Shaw?" She stated with a stern look at Simon before pinning her friend with a look.

"Not to do it."

"And what is; H-E-double hockey sticks?"

"A swear word." Shaw said quietly, ducking her head, making Joss swallow a laugh. Shaw was giving her best imitation of Simon when he did something that got himself reprimanded.

"Aunt Saw in twouble?" Simon asked looking between the women.

"No Aunt Shaw is not in trouble, Simon." Joss answered with a giggle. "What you guys want? I can't offer John's infamous pancakes but I can make mean fluffy plain pancakes."

"A stack full with four sunny-side-up eggs," Shaw answered. "And for the little squirt, one pancake and one egg scrambled." Joss smiled. Yep, they all knew Simon's order since it never changed unless John changed his. It was how they got their boy to try carrots, daddy ate it, then he ate it.

"Coming right up," Joss answered, leaving Simon and Shaw alone in the living room to go cook. Simon leaned back into Shaw's body and Shaw had subconsciously wrapped her arms around Simon, holding him much like Joss did. Joss just wished Shaw would just tell her what was troubling her.

In the kitchen she found her cell phone ringing; she picked it up as she opened the fridge to find the package of bacon as she answered it. "Hello," she greeted Lionel.

"Hello, that's all you are going to say!"

"Um…yes," what did he want her to say? "Oh, also, how are you?" she finished sensing he wanted more to her greeting. Judging for the snort that wasn't what he wanted to hear.

"You have a lot of nerve Carter, I thought we were partners, and more importantly I thought we were friends!"

"We are," she agreed slowly, not sure what his problem was. She waited patiently for him to get to it. While she waited she pulled out the skillet. "So is that why you called to tell me I have a lot of nerve and that you thought we were friends and partners?" she prodded.

"You got me forced to be your driver!" Joss snorted with laughter, now realizing his anger was coming from a place of irritation about their side project rather than actually being mad at her. "That wonder-husband of yours called me this morning and told me you were offering yourself up as bait to the whacked psychopath! And the only way he agreed to it was getting you to agree to make me your assistant/driver! Why couldn't I be your jerk off of a husband, and we would be a douchebag couple together rather than me being your lowly assistant?" he demanded.

"Honestly, because we didn't think of it." She said which earned her a lot of grumbling from Lionel on the other end of the line. "I'll buy you coffee," she offered, to placate the man.

"It better be from the expensive joint that makes that to die for coffee," he stipulated.

"Of course, is there anything else? I'm about to make breakfast for me, Simon, Taylor, and Shaw."

"Nope, just bring that coffee and you're forgiven."

Joss rolled her eyes. "See you in an hour." She hung up with her partner with a shake of the head, slung her phone on the counter, and got busy making breakfast.

* * *

John yawned as he re-entered the library, having already been there once earlier this morning, but alone. He had arrived a bit early to do some snooping without Finch and Shaw around. It had been much too quiet without his odd employer, Bear, or Shaw around. But he was trying to learn Harold's secrets, figure out when and where did they actually come into contact. John had searched the library for a little while coming up empty, before he had gone out and got himself coffee and Finch his tea, and now as he strode down the corridor Finch was here with Bear.

Harold looked over to him. "Mr. Reese, are you sure you are supposed to be here so early, I could have called you to let you know to come or not if we had a number. Both you and Ms. Shaw need to recover from your injuries."

He was in a sour mood over not finding anything here in the library. He hated when his searches resulted in nothing. John wasn't deterred though; he would learn what he was wishing too eventually. But he waved off Harold's concern. "I'm fine, Joss let me out of the house didn't she." He said with a quick smile as he set the Sencha tea in front of his friend, who picked it up gratefully.

"So, Mr. Reese, who is watching young Simon instead of me?" Harold questioned sounding a bit sad that he wouldn't be watching Simon. Joss and he had been relying on Finch to watch Simon at the library until one or the other could be there with him. If not Finch, then it was Joss's mother, or Fusco, or Taylor and Hayley if they were home from school. It was a juggling act but they were getting better at it.

"Shaw is actually, since we forced her to sit a few days out."

Harold's brows rose immediately. "You trust her with your son, alone?"

No, not really; he was afraid by the time they got home tonight that his son was going to be a swearing, gun toting little toddler. "I'm more than sure Joss gave Shaw a detailed dos and don'ts list so that our son is the same when we get home," John admitted with a little smile, before it slid from his face. He was determined to talk to him about the whole idea of being bait for Brandon Reed. "Finch, Joss told me you came up with this plan of becoming bait for Brandon Reed."

"I did, but it was meant for me to be bait, not her. But she wouldn't allow me to do so; besides she made a valid point that I do not like guns and, besides that, I freeze under that kind of pressure." He looked down, actually looking ashamed for it.

John laid a hand on his shoulder, earning Harold's attention. "Finch, it's okay, we prefer you not in the field, we don't want you hurt." John said quietly and softly. The elder man gave him a small smile before a small nod of the head and John stepped back, dropping his hand. "My problem is I don't want either you or Joss out in the field, I want you both protected."

"Jocelyn is very capable as you well know," Finch assured. He had a feeling John wasn't too keen on any of them offering themselves up to the clear sociopath, Brandon Reed, but himself.

John smiled knowingly. "Oh I know that, I just don't like the risk she is taking, but if anyone can lure Brandon Reed out and come out the other side unscathed it's her," he murmured before he took a sip of his coffee. "Besides, I forced her to have Fusco by her side, at least then she won't be alone until I can get to help her if she needs me."

Finch took another small sip of his hot tea while thinking. That was actually more of an accomplishment then John thought it was. Jocelyn wasn't one to wait around for backup any more than this man; she tended to do things by herself, so her agreeing to have Fusco help was a definite win for John. Harold smiled inwardly, the detective loved this man as much as this man loved her. And their little family was complete or will be this Friday. "So, this Friday it becomes official, Simon is your son."

"Yeah," he said before lifting his cup to his mouth to take another sip of his coffee.

Harold nodded. "Have you given any thought to expanding your family with Jocelyn?" he asked and John choked on his coffee. He reared back as he coughed, hitting his chest, and tears welled up in his eyes as he coughed hard. "Oh dear, are you alright Mr. Reese?"

After his coughing fit faded, "Why would you ask that while I'm drinking?" John demanded with a tight glare as he cleared his throat. "What do you mean expanding our family? Like a fish?"

Finch chuckled as he sat back leisurely. "No I meant as in you and your wife having a child….together. I know you love Simon and Taylor as your own, I guess I was wondering if I should start shopping around for baby things," he said before looking thoughtful. "I think I have some stuff in here somewhere that was from Leila when Dean and I worked her number. I never had the heart to get rid of it."

John felt panicked at the thought of having a little baby around; at least Simon was old enough to tell him if he accidentally hurt him. "Actually, Harold, I think Joss and I are content with where our family is at. I never thought I would have sons and a wife until I was burned by the CIA, met you guys, and fell in love with Joss." And he was content. Joss had been correct last night, he loved his life now. He was still trying to trust in it, that it wouldn't get snatched away from him, but he very much did love his wife and two sons.

"The world works in mysterious ways, John; when one door closes another one opens. It is just whether or not you choose to walk through that door to your new path."

He nodded his head, he was trying his hardest at letting go of things of his past for his family. John eyed his friend thoughtfully. "Will you ever tell me when and where we crossed paths, Finch? Are you ever going to level with me? Or are you going to make me find out the answers on my own?"

"John the past is in the past. How about we leave it there?"

"You know I can't do that, Finch. You seem to know everything about me while I don't know much about you, you are extremely invested in my happiness and I want to know why," he asked.

"Because, Mr. Reese, I like to believe we are friends," Harold answered, looking away. John was hitting awfully close to the truth and the truth was; he wanted John happy for personal reasons that had nothing to do with their friendship.

"We are Harold, but it feels like there is more to it than that, and you are purposely withholding it from me." John stated. "I will find out, Harold, so you may as well tell me the truth."

"Our docket is clear, John, maybe go home and spend time with your son." Finch said instead, feeling the heat of John's gaze. Clearly he wasn't happy with his answer. "I'm about to begin the process of creating Jocelyn's alias, which will take a few days since I am making up a rich despicable woman that doesn't exist. I don't know how much investigation Brandon Reed puts in when he chooses who he goes after, so I must have the appropriate evidence of Jocelyn Rice's misdeeds."

"This isn't over Finch," John assured, whirling around, cinching the button to his suit blazer to keep the chill out from the cooling October air. He stormed his way down the long corridor of the library, throwing away his now empty cup of coffee feeling Finch's eyes, and exited. John was going to learn the truth no matter what, so it was time for Option B which wasn't preferable, but he tried to level with Harold and he didn't want to tell him. Now he was going to cheat.

Nearly fifteen minutes later, John found himself in the heart of Manhattan that was about ten minutes from his new home with Jocelyn, and sitting in front of Harold's townhouse. Or should he say; Harold Wren's townhouse, as that was the alias listed as owner of the place that Finch stayed at most times. He never really realized how close they now lived from each other. John never sought out Harold's humble abode before, trying to allow his peculiar friend and employer some semblance of privacy even if he didn't offer him the same, but well he was desperate. And desperate times called for desperate measures, which namely was breaking into Finch's place. He wasn't proud of himself but maybe if he did, maybe he'd learn something he did not know, something that might help him recall when and where he ran into this man before.

John's phone rang as he climbed out, he swiftly hit his earwig. "Hello, my love." He purred as if he wasn't about to commit a crime, walking up the three steps to an elegant and what appeared to be hand-carved wooden door. He leaned over the door, pulling out his lock-pick.

"When you are coming home, can you stop at Party Supply, please, and pick up a size 3T Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Leonardo costume, ask for Susan. She is holding one for Simon, but it's only for today, because that is a hot costume for little boys. I would head there myself after work but Lionel and I were given until tonight to finish up our piles of paperwork by the captain. I might not be home for dinner, and Party Supply closes up for the night by five." She sounded as if she was walking around the precinct while she spoke.

He concentrated on the door. "Sure, anything else?"

"No, just that…no wait…stop for milk and eggs too." She added. "I'm not bothering you, am I John?"

"No, I'm just picking a lock." He answered with a smile waiting for it.

He was not disappointed. "John you cannot break and enter, have you ever heard of a pesky thing called the law? It means you cannot pick someone's lock and just let yourself in!" she snapped. "Whose place is it?"

"Finch's," he supplied.

"John! That is even worse."

He smirked as the door opened. "It's worse to pick the lock of someone you know than it is someone you don't?" he questioned as he entered and slid the door shut. John found it funny that Finch had made his place with Joss nearly impenetrable to get in and out, but left his own home with a standard lock that could easily get picked.

She ignored him. "Why did you pick Harold's lock, is this about trying to learn who he is and how he knows you? John can't you just do the sane thing and ask him?"

"I tried that, it didn't work."

"So naturally the next step is breaking the law." She huffed. "I'm going to sit you down and spell it out to you what a misdemeanor and a felony mean, because obviously you seem to not understand the meaning to those words!"

"God you are so sexy when you talk legal to me." He purred and she snorted. "But don't worry my love I won't be here long." He murmured as he eyed Finch's place. It certainly was just like him. "Love you," he whispered before she said it back and they hung up. John looked around the elegant and expensive looking place. He began searching, finding a study that had books upon books lining the far wall. Apparently where they set up their HQ wasn't the only library Finch owned he had his own in his home.

"I was wondering how long it would take you to come here, Mr. Reese." John blinked in surprise as he whirled around finding Finch standing behind him with a knowing smile. "I knew about the tracker in my glasses for a long while now, John."

"I see," Why it surprised him that Finch knew that was beyond him? It shouldn't really but it did. John had figured he did a good job of slipping it into his glasses without his knowledge, especially since he had been trained by the CIA on how to be discreet.

"Your persistence is commendable, John, but you will not find any answers that you are seeking here. As you can see I do not have many personal effects here." Harold gave a grand sweeping gesture of his home.

John pointed to the framed photo of him with a woman, as it proved that his statement was not fully truthful. "Is that Grace?" he wondered and when Finch nodded his head yes, he continued. "She's beautiful."

"Yes, she is." He agreed. "How about I make us some tea, while we talk."

"Does this talk include you telling me anything that I want to know?" he demanded, but Finch just smiled, which was answer enough.

* * *

AN: So this chapter just is starting to set up things for the story that will come to play in the future. Next chapter Joss and Shaw talk, and Brandon Reed makes his appearance XD

Thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

Joss stood at the sliding door watching as John was outside in the backyard pushing their son on his swing on the brand spanking new swing set that Harold had purchased for him. John had made the innocent mistake of telling the man that he had conquered the slide while the two friends had talked at Harold's place yesterday. Joss still couldn't believe her husband had broken into Harold's place and the man didn't even care. They had truly an odd friendship, but then again, they all had odd friendships with one another. But thanks to John's innocent comment, Harold had immediately purchased the swing-set after learning Simon enjoyed the slide and had it set up by professionals by the time they had come home that evening. She were shocked to say the least, when she came home after a long day of doing paperwork, finding her son, husband, and Shaw outside playing on the thing.

The damn thing took up most of the backyard now. It was huge, and it looked expensive. It had a big yellow tube slide that Simon had gone on over and over again, giggling happily. It had a rock-wall to climb up, and a sturdy ladder that lead to a fort where Simon could play or go down the built-in tube slide. It had two swings, monkey bars in the back, rings to hang from his arms, but he was still too tiny for that. And underneath the fort and slide was a small sandbox. All in all it was something perfect for Simon.

But with her boys outside and Taylor back at college that left her time to find out what was bugging Shaw, she only had one chance to get it out of her because soon she would be leaving their place, she was already hobbling around without the crutch. Anyone with eyes could see she was getting antsy. She turned away from the sliding door in the kitchen that led to the backyard, finding Shaw in their living room playing the XBOX One game console.

"I'm playing so I can get good at this game and beat my kid," she muttered as she sat down on the couch. Shaw was seated in the sofa chair, never tearing her gaze from the screen.

"Good, all these other players on my team suck ass!" she muttered leaving the lobby while the game was still in progress. Shaw helped get her on, she lifted her brows wondering how she knew how to work it, but she shrugged. "Your kid taught me because, if I did not have this, I would be bored to tears in your place. No offense."

Joss smiled. "Oh none taken, Shaw," she assured her, thinking the woman protested too much. But she wasn't going to badger her about that. She had a much preferred topic on her mind. But it was time to wait, they needed to get a few games in so she could slowly wiggle the info out of her. They silently played a few games, before Joss started with an uninteresting topic to her, but something to soften Shaw up. Guns. Not that she didn't love guns, she had her own personal arsenal that wasn't as awesome as John's or Shaw's, but hers was pretty badass if she said so herself. But the topic was chosen as a way to get an in on Shaw, loosen her up, get her talking, and then she would hit her with what was bothering her.

She wasn't paying much attention to what Shaw was saying about the guns, but kept a close eye on how animated Shaw became when she talked about something she so thoroughly enjoyed. "It's not like Reese will ever know I stole it."

"Wait, you stole a gun from my husband?"

"More like I found it in his old place before you guys moved into this cool ass place and I took it."

"That's the same thing as stealing! You and John are truly terrible with breaking laws," Joss huffed. Shaw rolled her eyes but slid her a smirk.

"I call it, finders keepers, Carter."

Joss snorted, but she forced her lecture to go away, deciding it was time to hit Shaw with what she really wanted to talk about. "Thanks for letting me play; get me better at this game, so I can beat my son's butt," she admitted, turning to look back to see if she could see Simon or John. She watched as Simon ran with John following behind; he was running with a little football in his arms and John was pretending he couldn't keep up. She smiled. She loved watching them play. But she could do that AFTER she had her talk with Shaw.

Joss looked back at Shaw, who was about to start a new game, and she stopped her by touching her hand. "I need to talk to you, before you play another game and destroy the opposing team."

"What about?" Shaw asked as she leaned back, eyeing her.

"About what's bothering you, and please don't tell me it's nothing, because we both know that is a damn lie. So spit it out, get this over with, and tell me what's wrong."

"So what, talking guns, playing Call of Duty with me, and kicking the asses of teenage boys around the world was just a way to soften me up?" Shaw asked with a small smirk that attempted to make into a smile on her face, but she squashed it.

"Yes," she admitted having no qualms about it. "Look, god help me but we're friends, and I have noticed you have been giving John some odd looks."

"I have not been giving your husband 'looks,' Carter," She scoffed.

Joss was irritated. "I didn't mean it that way and you know it, Shaw; but I have a feeling I know what is bothering you."

"Oh you do? You think you know what I'm feeling? Newsflash Carter, I don't feel much."

"Liar!" It was out before she had a chance to stop herself. But at this point she didn't even care, Shaw was hiding behind her personality disorder and she wasn't going to allow it. "I think the reason why you are such a thrill-seeker and go into all these dangerous situations is so that you _can_ feel something besides indifference. You want to feel something besides nothing," Joss stated, judging by the look she got, she was close to the truth.

"I have a type two…" Shaw began and Joss waved her off.

She didn't want to hear the excuses. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, I got that. I understand you have a personality disorder, I truly do, but that doesn't change the fact that you are upset that John risked his life for yours," Joss countered. Shaw opened her mouth and Joss talked over her. "Shaw, you can tell me I'm wrong but I know I'm right."

Shaw glared at her. "You're annoying."

"Yeah well, so are you," Joss agreed.

Shaw exhaled roughly. "Do you ever let Reese or anyone win an argument with you?"

"No never, but you're dodging, Shaw. You are my friend and I can tell something is bothering you, and it has to be John getting almost shot in the head trying to save you."

Joss waited and waited, and waited. It seemed like Shaw really didn't want to talk, but she exhaled roughly in annoyance. "He risked everything for me," She muttered quietly.

Joss nodded her head. "Yeah, he did." There had to be more to it than that. John and Shaw risked their lives each and every number they worked.

"When we worked his number back when the CIA wanted to get rid of him meant we got to be privy to some info on his past, Carter. I know he didn't have a lot and has been alone for a very long time. So I know how much it means to him to be with you. I know how hard you worked to get him to let you be his family. And he risked it all for me, who has been nothing but a pain in his ass, who makes stupid fucking comments to him just to bug him because I get a kick out of it, and had been in a competition with him since Finch found him. We have similar skill sets so I wanted to prove to him I was just as good if not better than him." Shaw said with no emotion in her voice, but there was a shadow across her face.

She had to choose her words carefully because if she said it wrong this could backfire on her. So after a few moments she spoke. "He cares too, Shaw," Joss murmured quietly. Shaw turned to look at her sharply. "You care about him, he cares about you too, and if there is anything you should know by now about John is that he has never left one of his own behind, and he never will, even if it might mean he dies instead."

"And you're okay with that? Okay with him dying to protect my sorry life?" she snapped.

"I can't change who John is, Shaw. John will always save others before himself and I understand that. Does it scare the hell out of me, yes, but I do understand it more than I probably should, because if I could save a life while risking my own I would do it too."

"I was always a loner, out for myself," Shaw murmured. "I never had your or John's mentality until I met Finch, Fisher, and you. You three did something to me which I don't like by the way, but you made me care." Joss almost imagined the Grinch's heart in Shaw's body that with gentle care had grown in sizes. But she had a feeling Shaw was about done with the heart to heart, they had only been talking for about a couple minutes, but she could tell Shaw was less tense already. And that meant soon she better switch the topic, or else.

Joss eyed her softly. "We didn't do anything, it is all you. Because Shaw, you earned our respect, our trust, and our friendship. Just as we have earned your respect, trust, and friendship, so the days of you being out for yourself are long gone," Joss said with a smile. "Now enough of this sentimental crap, let's kick some teenage boys' asses!"

Shaw gave a ready smile. "You're my kind of woman, Carter."

Joss rolled her eyes. "I'm married, thank you very much," she teased. They got back to playing the video game when she heard the sliding door open, Simon's tiny voice, and the sounds of heavy footsteps. John entered with Simon in his arms.

"Uh-oh, Simon we lost your mother to the dark side." John murmured. Joss looked up as he leaned down to press a warm kiss to her mouth as she waited to re-spawn. John leaned back a little before Simon leaned over to kiss her cheek. She gave him a noisy kiss in return. John straightened, watching the television. Simon leaned his head against John's shoulder, watching too, but his eyes were drooping.

"What did you do to our boy, John, he looks worn out, and his face is red?" Joss asked, her eyes drifting back to the TV screen.

"He played until I gave up. He's hard to keep up with when he's three and I'm in my mid-forties. His face is red because it's getting cold out, which is another reason I gave up. I don't want him catching a cold just because he is soaking up the fact that he gets to play outside," John said as he sat down beside her on the couch. Simon remained in John's arms, head on his chest, facing away from the TV. John took Simon's sneakers off, leaving them on the floor. John slowly rubbed circles on the boy's back. It took maybe five minutes and Simon was out cold.

The game finished and she handed Shaw the controller, who turned the game and console off. Joss curled into John's side, rubbing her fingertips through Simon's soft hair with one hand and the other was doing a similar thing in John's. Could this week go any slower, they were signing the papers Friday and she wanted this boy hers, legally, now. But she couldn't wish the entire week to go by quick, Halloween was Thursday and it was the first time Simon ever got to go trick-or-treating.

"I think I'm going to head home," Shaw said after shutting the TV off.

Joss looked at her. "But you aren't fully healed yet, Shaw."

"I'm better, Carter; you and Reese took good care of me," Shaw said with a quick smirk. Joss smiled in return. "Besides I'm cramping your style, I bet you two have yet to do the nasty, and we all know how much you two love doing one another." And there was her annoying friend that she missed so dearly.

"Shaw!" She faked indignation.

"Hey I love sex as much as anyone, but you two go at it like bitches in heat," Shaw snickered. "So who is on top, you or Reese? I bet it's you Carter, you ride him until he…"

"Get out, Shaw!" John groaned over Shaw's voice trying to drown her out as he covered Simon's ears.

"I'm going, I'm going! But first I need to take a pit stop in your kitchen," Shaw said with a rub of her small stomach. "I'm hun-gry and I know my place has nothing, and you have that leftover lasagna from the other night." She disappeared and Joss sighed.

"She seems better, more her annoying self, did you find out what was the matter with her?" John asked.

Joss nodded. "Yeah, I did."

"What was it?" he asked. Joss looked at him but decided to not confide Shaw's secret, having a sense that Shaw wouldn't appreciate John knowing how much she did like and care about him.

"It was nothing that couldn't be fixed."

"Well undo it, I think I liked the other one better," he said with a suffering sigh, but she noticed the relieved look. He had been missing the old Shaw himself. "You better go make sure she is only taking the leftover lasagna and not taking my ice cream or Simon's cookies and juice boxes!"

Her eyes widened. "Right, damn it, that woman's stomach is never full!" she slid off the couch as he did the same, going to take their son upstairs and get him in his pajamas. She grabbed John's butt. "After she leaves and Simon is in bed, care to join me in a nice bubble bath?" she purred.

"Let me see," he feigned to debate as he looked at the ceiling. "Do I really want to see my hot wife all naked and wet?" he questioned before looking back down to give her a wicked smile. "Of course," he agreed, his blue irises darkening a bit with desire. She stepped up on her tip toes, kissing him swiftly, before kissing Simon sweetly.

She stepped back. "I'll get rid of the garbage disposal while you put our munchkin to bed."

"Deal," he kissed her soundly before they split, having their duties so they could have a nice quiet evening to themselves.

* * *

"Hi there," a soft feminine voice purred in his ear as he sat at the bar. Brandon Reed lifted just his gaze to eye the blonde beside him. She met his blue eyes with green ones. She had a smile on her face. "I'm Olivia," she greeted. He didn't say a word, just stared at her sidelong, before looking back at his drink that rested in between his hands. "Well, you're shy," she teased.

"I'm not shy, I just don't want to talk to you," He replied. She gave a huff before she slid from the barstool beside him and walked away. He didn't want anyone because he only wanted his Gabrielle and she was gone. Dead, she only came to him when she chose the next person to cure. Even after death their love could not be denied, and she had helped him realize he had a higher calling. A higher calling, which was why he was still living after her death, because Gabrielle asked him to purge this great Earth of the vilest and her first choice for him to have cleansed was his step-mother and father.

He clutched the glass tightly in his hand. Clara Reed, that bitch, he had wished to watch her blow up into a million fucking pieces. His step-mother was the reason he lost everything, but his father Declan, was a piece of shit and didn't have any balls. He had allowed his step-mother to hire a professional to off his mother too, he sincerely wished he had perished with her in that fire, his mother's screams as she was tied up in the chair in her bedroom still tortured him in nightmares. But since his father made his step-mother keep him alive he had been shipped off to a boarding school, and he couldn't get a moment's peace. She took his mother from him and then she took away the only other person to ever love him, and his father let it. His Gabrielle. He understood why her parents wanted to charge him with statutory rape, they didn't understand his feelings for Gabrielle, or hers for him. To them he was the twenty-one year old man that had impregnated their underage daughter. But to him, she was the woman that made him whole. She made him feel normal, because when he was with her he didn't feel the need to cut himself open trying to feel the pain it would induce and couldn't. No, instead he felt loving touch….it had been so surreal, he didn't recall ever feeling such a touch before, if he had he could not remember it since his mother had been killed when he was so young, having given up the hope that he could.

And then they took her from him. Gabrielle died because of Clara and Declan Reed, his boy died because of them, all because of the scandal it would have caused them. Their pretty little image could have been ruined, so instead they ruined his life. Because they could, because they were foul individuals, cruelest of the cruel, and he had promised himself and Gabby he would make them pay for what they had done. And now all men and women like them would be exterminated as well.

But that small brunette woman and that man in the fancy suit were getting in the way of his work. Gabrielle gave him the okay that if they got in his way again, he was allowed to make sure they would not do so ever again.

Brandon slid from the barstool leaving the bar. He stepped out into the cool October air, men and women waltzed right past him, and he upturned his collar of his coat against what had to be a chill in the air. He shoved his hands in his pockets, lost in thoughts about his list of grave risks to this imperfect world. His list consisted of cruel men and women that used their money and influence to better themselves rather than the world was ever expanding, but he always waited for his beloved to choose who she wished for him to cleanse next. Gabrielle was the judge, he was the executioner.

He had just rounded the corner, to walk down the empty alleyway when he saw his beloved. "Gabrielle," he grinned unevenly as she stood before him. She always looked the same to him, the same as the day he met her, and took her virginity. She wore the same yellow dress, her hair was curled the exact same way, and she had the same shy and innocent smile on her face. "Have you chosen?"

"_Yes, Brandon, our work is not done__;__ you must make sure no one suffers like us_."

He nodded his head. "Of course Gabby, it is why I'm alive and not with you. It's the only thing keeping me going, saving others so they don't have to suffer as we have." Tears slipped down his cheeks.

"_Toby Atwater is next."_

"Yes, you always choose the right ones to cleanse….please stay," he whimpered as she began fading from his eyes. He cried in agony as her vision disappeared and he saw a group of teenagers staring and laughing at him from the other end.

"What the hell are you on man, it must be some potent stuff if you are talking to thin air?!" one shouted towards him, before he whirled around, sobbing and running off into the night.

* * *

AN: And Brandon Reed is a nutball XD Oh and if you are wondering why I know so much about Call of Duty and matchmaking and playing online it is because I love playing Call of Duty online. I can only imagine having a Shaw or Carter on there kicking my ass hahahaha. Okay so next chapter John/Joss/Simon go trick or treating, John and Joss share a conversation, and Joss/Fusco get a new case :D

Thanks for reading :)


	4. Chapter 4

It was finally Halloween, she had seen a ton of costumes already on her way to work, and getting her and Fusco some coffees. She had seen witches, vampires, a bunch of kids going to school as Elsa and Power Rangers. She always enjoyed Halloween but over the years the joy the holiday brought faded because her son stopped going trick-or-treating. Well, with Simon her joy in the holiday was renewed and they were going to have a blast taking him out to get some candy.

Joss had been barely at work a half hour before the captain popped his head out of his office. "Carter, my office now!" Joss lifted her head when the captain spoke. She sighed as she entered the captain's office. "It is top priority," his thick New Yorker accent was sometimes tough to distinguish, but there was no mistaking this. The captain was upset. She opened the file, looking it over. "Another of our own has been murdered!"

Joss looked up. "This is very similar to the murder of Detective Deekins a few days ago," she admitted. The captain had given her and Fusco that case as well and there weren't any leads. They were hoping with the news-media still running the story there might be some tips called in, but nothing so far.

"There doesn't appear to be anything connecting them either, but if you can't solve this I'll be bringing in the FBI. We can't have a cop killer running the streets of New York."

She nodded grabbed the file before leaving. She smacked the file against Fusco's back. "Hey, we just got another priority case."

"Another? We're still searching for leads on the Detective Ryan Deekins' murder. We are about to get his call list from his cell phone company. Whose the unlucky stiff this time?"

"Another of our own, Detective Darla Erikson, from the 3rd, she worked Vice, and the captain might think they're connected. But he's not sure since there isn't anything physically linking them as of right now." She sighed.

"Damn," Fusco looked sad. "So we have a possible cop serial killer on the loose?"

She plopped the file down, they both perused it. "Possibly, but the Captain is right, there's nothing connecting them that I can see yet, not even the way they died."

Fusco nodded his head. "Erikson bit a bullet in the head, while Deekins was shot in the back. Erikson and Deekins worked different task forces and in different precincts. Erikson lived in the Bronx while Deekins was in Queens."

"The only one small common thread that I can see is that both of them worked in task forces that ran amongst a lot of gangs and used a lot of undercover work. Maybe Deekins and Erikson were both working undercover and their covers were blown," she suggested, though it was a long shot. Fusco had already gone to Deekins' precinct to learn about his cases and it had appeared to them that he had just finished one up.

"Could be," Fusco admitted but didn't sound hopeful. Neither was she, but she was trying to hold onto the hope that they did not have a cop killing psychopath on the loose. She was going to have to call Finch to see if they had received Erikson's number.

"It's a possibility; one that I'm going to run with. I'm going to check into which gangs that both Deekins' and Erikson had run ins with and see if any coincides."

Fusco nodded as he watched her walk to her desk. "While you do that, I guess I'll head to her precinct to speak to her captain find out if he has any information on her recent cases she had been working. Maybe we'll get lucky," he said as he stood up.

She nodded her head watching him as he pulled on his suit blazer, "If this case runs late, care to carry the load tonight? Today is Halloween and it is Simon's first one, he's so excited to go trick-or-treating," she asked.

Fusco smiled. "Yeah, sure, I'll man the front so you can head out early, the cute little squirt deserves to have some fun now that's released from his hell." She smiled gratefully. Joss called Finch who answered on the second ring. "Hey, is this a bad time?" she questioned.

"No, never for you, Jocelyn."

"Good, first off how's my baby?" she asked with a smile.

Finch was watching Simon for them as usual and if it wasn't Harold, it would be her momma. In fact her momma was demanding more babysitting duties to dote on her new grandbaby. She might have to talk to Finch about sharing the duty. If Finch didn't need to be at the library he would hang out at their place for Simon, but if he had to help on a case, Simon would play at the library where toys were littering the old rundown place more so than books. "He's playing with Bear as of right now, Jocelyn."

She nodded her head. "I was really calling to see if you received the number of a Detective Darla Erikson?"

"No, we received a new number this morning but his name is Toby Atwater, not Darla Erikson. Why, is it a homicide case?"

"Yeah, I wanted to know since it would determine if the murder was premeditated or not, which I assume is not."

"The machine tends to see most things, Jocelyn, so I have to agree her murder was not premeditated," Finch agreed.

"So who is this Toby Atwater and do you need some assistance?"

"No, but thank you, Jocelyn. Toby Atwater is a multimillionaire who was CEO of a large and recently shut down pharmaceutical company. However, we checked into who Toby Atwater is as a person and it seems he might be the next target of Brandon Reed. He is not the best of persons, he was connected to over fifty deaths but none of the charges against him could stick. The evidence is circumstantial at best."

She felt her shoulders tense. "Let me guess, my husband and Shaw are watching out for him?"

"Yes, the machine received his number this morning, so they rushed off as soon as they could to go watch over Mr. Atwater."

"Finch, how's it going with my alias?" she demanded. "We need to lure this guy to us, rather than struggling to play catch up with him." She had faith that her husband and Shaw would be safe this time. There was no way they would let him get a drop on them again.

"It's coming along, your alias is nearly complete, but I'm waiting to implement it and introduce her to the world, because of Mr. Toby Atwater. Mr. Reese and Ms. Shaw are adamant about protecting this guy even though they hate him. They want to stop Brandon Reed."

"What happens if they don't?"

"Then I'll introduce Jocelyn Rice to the world, but after you have successfully adopted Simon." She nodded, glad he was doing that because tonight and tomorrow were just for her. Tonight was her little man's first ever Halloween and his trick-or-treating debut, and something she could not miss for the world. "But John is not exactly happy with your cover. I mirrored Jocelyn Rice after Clara Reed in hopes of making her someone he had to go after next."

"I think it's perfect, leave my husband to me, Finch."

"Jocelyn, are you sure you want to do this? Are you sure you want to become the bait of Brandon Reed if we cannot stop him with Mr. Atwater's case, because once I introduce her to the world there is no going back?"

"I don't want to but I have to do this, and I already agreed to have Fusco as my backup."

Finch waited a moment before speaking. "Alright, I just wanted to make sure you were ready for all that this entails, Jocelyn. Happy Halloween," he said before hanging up with her. Joss immediately called her husband. Joss would get to work on her priority case after she made sure he was alright.

"Hello," he answered.

"Hey you, are you and Shaw alright? I called Finch and he told you that you guys got a new number, one that you guys think might be a target of Brandon Reed's."

"We're fine, Joss," he assured her. "We're going to stop him this time so you don't have to play bait with him."

"I hope so, because this guy needs to be stopped whether or not I become bait," she said. "Just be careful."

"We will, we have to take our son out for Halloween, he's all excited to wear his Leonardo costume." She heard John's smile in his voice. She smiled too.

"Yeah he is, he's going to the cutest little ninja turtle ever," she agreed. "So what are you and Shaw doing anyway?"

"On a stakeout watching this guy cuss out his driver, push a woman out of his way, and was rude to a waitress. Finch is working on a way of proving he was at fault for those deaths, sending him to prison rather than be killed at the hands of Reed. I think this guy would prefer jail than death."

She nodded. "I think so too. Okay, I'll let you go so you concentrate on your stakeout. I love you."

"I love you too, Joss."

* * *

John was helping Simon get his TMNT blue mask over his eyes when Joss burst through the steel door. "I'm sorry I'm running late, but it's all good and I wouldn't miss Simon's first Halloween," she assured everyone with a big, cheery smile on her face.

Simon was bouncing for her attention. "Ook, Momma, ook, me a tuttle!"

Joss dropped her gaze down. "You look just like Leonardo, Simon," she said with a smile. He was wearing a little blue mask tied around his eyes, a green sweatshirt that had a shell printed on the front with an L on the belt, with green sweat pants. He held a plastic sword that was much too big for him, that was going to be left at home when they went out trick-or-treating. He twirled for her so she could see the tiny plastic shell on his back, somewhat like a backpack. "Let me change real quick and we can take him out." She rushed upstairs to hurry and change into a tight black long sleeve shirt and a pair of dark blue jeans. She had noticed John changed from his man in the suit attire for once, opting for a nice dark blue sweater, and tight white washed jeans with holes at the knees. She eyed him from the top of the staircase. Mmmm, what a yummy view.

She hurried back down, he motioned for them to go, putting his leather jacket on, and helping her with hers. Simon had a few layers on underneath the sweatshirt which should keep him warm but if not, they took his new green winter coat just in case. Joss took Simon's stuffed turtle that he was carrying, handing her baby a plastic pumpkin container for his future candy, while John grabbed a firm hold on Simon's hand before tugging her to him possessively. She did enjoy how possessive John could get, she was dying to ask about their case with Atwater, but wanted to keep that talk away from their son. They walked quietly to their car. She squatted down, picking up Simon to put him in his car seat. Once he and his stuffed turtle were safely tucked inside, she grabbed John's elbow, and slid shut the door. Now was her chance to at least see if they stopped Reed.

She peered into John's eyes "How did things go?"

"Quiet, nothing happened with Atwater, and Shaw is currently with him still. But I think we should shelf this conversation for later," he whispered, eyeing their son in the backseat who's eyes were wide with happiness.

She agreed. "Alright, we'll talk later tonight." John nodded his head, before climbing into the driver's seat. She rounded the car, determined to not worry about Reed or her own case and just enjoy tonight. John drove them to the closest residential block that had many houses with lights on. Children were already trick-or-treating when John parked the car.

John gave away no indication that he was worried or upset, having shelved that away for their boy. John took Simon out of the car, placing him on his feet, and looked around as if searching for any possible threats. John carried his coat just in case, but she doubted he would need it since she doubted Simon would be out trick-or-treating long since he was so young.

"Momma, tuttle." He pointed to Leo who was still buckled in his seat in the backseat of John's car. Joss smiled down at her son.

"He's tired, baby, Leo needs a little sleep so he's going to hang out in the car until Trick-or-Treating is over." She fibbed smoothly, earning herself a smirk from her husband.

Simon eyed Leo, "Tuttle go sweepy." Simon whispered making her and John giggle as Simon tip toed away from the car trying to be quiet for Leo. She and Simon walked up the walkway to the first house while John watched from the sidewalk, where the house was empty of trick-or-treaters, but the light was on.

"You remember what to say, right baby?" she asked.

But her son didn't even get a chance to respond because some middle aged guy hopped out from behind a fake-coffin that was in his front yard with a scary mask on, shouting 'BOO' at Simon. Simon screamed in terror, Joss's eyes widened, as she lost a hold of her son's hand as he ran to his daddy crying. John scooped him into his arms, and Joss whirled around to make sure Simon was safe. "Oh crap, I'm sorry I didn't realize he was that little," the man said sincerely as he held the mask in his hands.

"You son of a b-" John growled as she turned to look back at the guy as John stormed his way over. Joss knew that look on John's face and she needed to diffuse the situation before John killed this guy. "It's okay, it's his first Halloween and he's not used to this kind of stuff," Joss said over John, hoping he'd calm down before he cursed in front of their son. She could hear Simon crying a little still but not as badly as he was, now that he was in his daddy's arms where he felt safe. Joss turned to see what John was doing, he was holding Simon, while staring deadly at the man before her.

She turned to look at the guy who had scared Simon, his eyes were wide. "That guy is going to kill me, isn't he?"

"No, my husband is just protective of our son, so we'll be going now, Happy Halloween!" she tried as she started backpedaling, afraid he was right. One thing that you didn't do was piss off daddy John, and John was very much pissed off.

"Wait, wait, hold on, I scared your son really bad, the least I can do is give him extra candy." The man said as more children came rushing to his house. The man handed her a whole bag of Snickers. "Take it, please, I have a lot more for the rest of the kids." He said with a petrified look at John before he whirled around rushing away, to go get more candy for the rest of the kids as they shouted on the top of their lungs 'Trick or Treat' even though he stood right in front of them.

Joss walked back to John, weaving around the kids. "Look, what the man gave Simon for a peace offering." She said holding out the giant bag of Snickers. Judging by the deadly looks John was sending the house, it was not made up. He held Simon in his arms, possessively and protectively.

"He scared him," John stated as Joss slipped a hand around his elbow forcing him to turn. She opened a fun-sized Snickers wrapper and held the chocolate up to his mouth. When John immediately opened his mouth she plopped the Snickers onto his tongue, she smirked watching the ecstasy on his face as he chewed on the chocolate. Her husband was so easy, his sweet tooth was his downfall. She opened another one, before handing it to her son.

"Tank you, momma," Simon mumbled as he took it, taking a small bite.

"See, our son has better manners than you, John," she teased. John gave another glare back at the man who had come back out with more candy for the rest of the kids, making her sigh. "He apologized, John, and quite frankly, I think you scared him more then he scared Simon. The guy was close to wetting himself," she said as they began walking down the sidewalk to the next house, bypassing it as it didn't have a light on. "Hey baby," she cooed and Simon's little face turned to look at her. "Next house won't be like that, I promise."

"Ok momma."

She looked back up to John who was still looking back at the house clearly wanting to go kick some ass. "John, Simon let it go, now it's your turn."

"Maybe we should just take him home, Joss he's too little for this," John suggested, tucking Simon against him more tightly. Simon didn't even pay attention as he finished his Snickers.

"Seriously, John, he's safe; besides Trick or Treating is for kids of all ages, even toddlers," she huffed as they arrived at the next lighted house. John set the little boy onto his feet once more, rather reluctantly. Joss took Simon's hand, smiling at John, thinking he was so cute in overprotective dad mode.

"I should check this place to make sure it's alright for him," John said, eyeing the house they were in front of with disdain, keeping a firm grip of Simon's other hand. She rolled her eyes as John's eyes shifted to the house that was owned by the guy that John would forever hate for scaring Simon. Joss sighed before tugging Simon free of overbearing daddy's grip, and led him up to the house behind the bigger kids.

"Baby, your daddy is par-a-noid," she enunciated 'paranoid' for effect.

"Joss, I can hear you."

"You were meant to," she called out sweetly, before she squatted down near Simon's level. The older kids ran across the lawn, once they got their candy, leaving them by themselves and the middle-aged couple that was sitting on their porch smiled down at Simon and her.

"Now what do we have here?" the woman asked.

"He's a teenage mutant ninja turtle, he's his favorite, Leonardo." Joss supplied when Simon stood beside her shyly, leaning into her. "Now Simon you remember what to say, right?" They had done only one house so far and that had not gone over so well, so hopefully this would be Simon's true first house.

"Tick or tweet," Simon said quietly, barely above a whisper, and very shyly held out his plastic pumpkin.

The man and woman grinned, while the woman held a hand to her chest. "He's so adorable!" the woman put in a few Reece's cups for Simon into his small Halloween pumpkin container.

"What do you say, Simon?" she questioned.

"Tank You," he mumbled.

"You are so very welcome, cutie-pie." Joss smiled as she stood up, grabbed a firm hold on Simon's hand and walked him down the path back to the sidewalk and John. Older kids were already running together to the same house they were just leaving.

"What's going on?" John and she jumped a mile when Shaw's voice popped out of nowhere. They turned seeing her sauntering over, weaving between the kids and other adults while Simon grinned and threw his arms up for Shaw to pick him up. She readily did, peering into the plastic container. "Wait Simon is scoring candy?" she demanded as she looked at them.

"Shaw, it is Halloween, it's called Trick-or-Treating," Joss said. What, did John and Shaw live under a rock or something? Even former assassins and spies should have heard of the holiday called Halloween!

"Hey kiddo, what do you have so far?" Shaw asked as she reached into his container, pulling out a Reece's cup. "Come on kid, we have to hit this entire block plus the next one over. You are going to score so much candy and we share 60/40, right Simon?" Shaw said as she pointed to herself first and then Simon.

"Uh-huh," he agreed having no idea that he just agreed to the fact that his Aunt Shaw got more of HIS candy.

"Whoa, whoa, he's too little for that!" Joss snapped elbowing John for backup.

"Right, and I don't like Simon or Joss being quite this out in the open at night." Okay, she could do without John's paranoia, but at least he was on her side.

"It's free candy! Besides Simon won't have to walk I'll carry him up to the houses, he'll get double the candy because how can anyone resist this." Shaw motioned at Simon.

"Give me my son," Joss snatched Simon out of her arms, plopping him into John's arms. Shaw immediately opened the wrapper of the Reese's cup. "He is not going to be a pawn in your scheme to get free candy, Shaw," Joss stated. Shaw really needed to seek therapy for her food obsession. They all walked up to the next house. "Go on, John," she motioned.

"Me?"

"Yeah, you…it's your turn to take him up to the house." He clearly didn't want to do as he was told, but Simon began bouncing in his arms to go up and it left him little choice as he would not disappoint their son. He put Simon down and they walked hand in hand up to the next house. He bent so he could speak to their son. Joss sighed while a few other moms with their kids eyed her husband's butt as much as she did. She smirked, she was alright with them looking, but if they so much as thought they would touch, she'd knock some teeth out. She could hear a small 'Tick or Tweet' come out of Simon's mouth, so low that no one would hear him. Big kids helped Simon out as they shouted it at the top of their lungs and an elderly woman exited her house.

Joss turned away from them to glare at Shaw. "What are you doing here? I thought you were on Atwater watch?"

"I was until he got arrested for DUI, he'll be stuck in a holding cell through the night, and I'll go to the jail when he's released in the morning," she said with a shrug. Joss eyed her, having a feeling that Shaw had been the one to call in a tip that Atwater was driving while intoxicated. "Brandon Reed can't get to him unless he infiltrates a jail, which I doubt. So I have the night off."

Joss nodded. "Did you see Brandon Reed at all while on the stakeout?"

"No not a single sighting of the psycho all afternoon and evening," Shaw said and she turned to look back, seeing John walking down towards them with Simon by his side, looking up at his dad, telling him something. "What did you get, Simon?" Shaw demanded, forgetting about their conversation and was looking at her son like a starving woman.

"He got a couple fun sized bags of Skittles," John supplied and Joss rolled her eyes because her husband had the similar starving look as Shaw typically did. Taking him with her and Simon was the wrong idea because the poor kid's container was going to be empty before he could even get any! John's sweet tooth was larger than the Grand Canyon, and Shaw's stomach was never full. Poor Simon.

* * *

John was staring at Simon who was asleep in his turtle shell bunk bed, still wearing his Halloween costume, minus the shell, and his stuffed TMNT turtle clutched to him. Trick-or-Treating had been a success. He had done about ten or so houses before he was yawning, he got some candy, but he was about out as they brought him back home. John watched him for a minute further before he turned to exit to go have a discussion with his wife. John went downstairs, finding her in their kitchen sitting at the barstool at the kitchen island. She had files open, a pad of paper with a pen poised above, and was sipping a glass of wine. He stopped, sensing she didn't hear him. He watched his wife for several moments.

He always got awestruck whenever he caught sight of her. This time was no different. Jocelyn was a very beautiful woman. She was petite, had beautiful dark brown hair that she conditioned and straightened. Had a heart shaped face with full lips that begged him to kiss her, a nice butt, and to him she had to be the sexiest woman he ever met.

She looked over at him, must having felt his gaze on her. She smiled. "Hey," she whispered quietly as he walked up to her, dropping a kiss onto her cheek before he walked to their refrigerator and pulled out a beer. "I'm just working a case."

"What's the case?"

"Two dead detectives with nothing connecting them; there was not a single same gang they had a run in with, Fusco questioned both precincts with fellow detectives, and they didn't give anything helpful. Fusco earlier tonight put in a request to Erikson's cell phone provider to get a list of who she called, maybe there is a connection in that. Fusco put in a request for a rush on it, the provider is more than happy to help us." She said as she leaned back a bit.

"Need any help?" he offered.

She shook her head. "But if I do, you'd be the first one I'd ask," she assured him. He took a swig of beer before placing it on the island, leaning down on his forearms on the opposite side from her.

He eyed her. "I love you."

She smiled as she put down her glass of wine. "I know you do, I love you too." Joss shoved the paperwork, the pad of paper back into the manila folder before reaching over to touch his hands. "How about I show you how much?"

John shook his head, before straightening so they weren't touching. The longer they touched, the easier he found himself falling under his wife's spell. She had the capability to make him forget everything. "I want to say a few things."

"Alright," she leaned back, her lips thinned as she figured this conversation was going to turn into a fight, and she crossed her arms across her chest. "I'm listening."

John waited a few moments trying to explain himself. "Joss you are smartest woman I have ever known, one of the finest detectives that I've seen during cases we worked, and seen it while you work hard on your own cases." He motioned with his hand to the manila folder she had been eyeing so keenly before sensing his eyes on her. "You can handle the pressure and danger without blinking an eye, I never doubted that or you. You could take on an entire army and come out the other side without a scratch on you because of your intelligence, skill, and ability to think under pressure, Joss," he admitted. She smiled at his praise, but it truly wasn't praise, he was just stating the facts. His wife was truly an amazing cop, wife, mother, friend, and person.

"You are saying this to butter me up for something," she purred. "Not that I mind though, so continue, with your loving praise of me."

John shook his head. "No, Joss, I'm saying this because it's the truth."

She stared at him. "Is this where you are going to ask me not to put myself up as bait if we can't get Reed during this Atwater case? Because if this is where you are going to hit me with it after you praise me you can forget it, John!"

John shook his head, offering her a wry smile. "I know there's no way of getting you to not do this if Atwater's case doesn't end with us getting Reed, and it's not about getting you to agree to not do this. It's about me admitting to you that you were right." He paused, swallowing hard as it was difficult for him to admit to his weaknesses. "I was fighting against you being the bait with Brandon Reed, not because I thought that you couldn't handle it, but because there is a part of me that thinks that this life I have is going to be taken from me."

Joss's gaze softened as she reached out to touch his hand. "John, I'm not going anywhere, Brandon Reed will be eventually behind bars whether I pose for bait or not, and our son will be safe."

"I know. I trust in you to be safe, and take all the precautions…it's just me, Joss. When I think about what my life was like before you…." He stopped unable to finish. She stood up walking around the kitchen island but keeping their hands touching.

Joss stared at her husband, feeling like he had taken a huge step in his healing process. He was finally admitting to truths that must be very difficult for him to give volume to. "You don't have to think about that life, our life together is all we need."

He tugged her to him, embracing her warmly. "Thank you for being so perfect," he whispered in her ear.

She smiled as they parted. "You can show me your gratitude tonight," she purred as he felt her hands drop to his butt. "But unfortunately tonight is going to have to be one and done in the sex department, as tomorrow morning we have to be up early for our adoption signing."

He played with her hair as he smiled in return. "I can't wait to make him mine, just as I couldn't wait to marry you."

"I can't wait either, John, and you know what else I can't wait for….to tell you something that was supposed to be a surprise."

He made a face. "I hate surprises, Joss."

"I know you do but this one was going to be an amazing one, but, since I can't wait to tell you the surprise any longer it's going to be a day early." she said. "John, I want to legally change Simon's name."

"Yeah, to Warren. I know we discussed having it changed to Carter with yours, but you said Warren is my last name on our marriage certificate and that was going to be Simon's legal last name."

She shook her head, he wasn't getting it. "Yes, we did agree on that, and that's still the plan, but I meant I want to include a middle name for our son. Simon Warren just doesn't cut it for me." She said with a smile.

"Okay? What middle name do you have in mind?"

"Davis," she said. John stared at her. "I want out son to have your real surname somehow, even if it's not his legal surname. But, Simon Davis Warren just has a nice ring to it, don't you think?" he tugged her into his arms again tightly, trying to rein in the emotions he was feeling. Having Simon have his real surname meant a lot to him and it meant a lot to him knowing she was trying to find a way to give him that.

He felt a suspicious burning in the backs of his eyes, feeling so touched by his wife's care and love for him. "I love you so much, Joss."

"I love you too, John," she whispered. He pulled back, taking her mouth with his passionately. She moaned softly as he scooped her up into his arms, not breaking the kiss as he turned with her in his arms to carry her to the stairs to go up to their bedroom.

They had just gotten to the foot of the steps when the steel door opened, John tore his mouth off Joss's and looked. He smiled. "Hi guys." He greeted the stunned teens before them. John delicately set his blushing wife on her feet, while Taylor smacked a hand over his eyes.

"My eyes did not just see my step-dad making out with my mom!" Taylor cried with half humiliation and half laughter. Hayley slid from under Taylor's arm from around her shoulders to hug Joss first, then him.

After Taylor's mortification faded the boy hugged his mom then him, then he helped bring in their bags from Taylor's car. There went the idea of making love to his wife right now, having forgotten they were going to have a full house since Taylor and Hayley wanted to be with them when they signed the adoption papers. Taylor and Hayley were in their kitchen, starving, having left just after classes to drive to Manhattan from their college. "Oh cool, Simon scored some candy tonight." Taylor exclaimed happily from the kitchen. Joss sidled up to him after he rearmed the alarm, sliding her arms around his waist while they heard chatter coming from the kitchen.

Her eyes drifted from his to the stairs they were standing near, before sliding back to his gaze. "Please say what we were about to do is to be continued, after the teens are asleep in their separate beds." she purred, lifting up to kiss his chin, before she settled back down. John smiled as he tapped her nose with his index finger, winked at her, before pulling out of her arms.

"We shall see, my beautiful wife does need her beauty sleep for tomorrow morning."

"Yeah well your wife needs her husband finishing what he started." She huffed with a bat of the eyes his way. "Pweassssssssse," she sang softly with a coy smile knowing he was a sucker for it even coming from her.

John swallowed hard as he eyed the kitchen then the stairs, then his wife again. "That….doesn't always work on me." He whispered as she sauntered up to him, running a hand along his chest.

She licked her lips his eyes followed her tongue's movements. "Yes, it does, Simon and I both know it," she whispered seductively before she walked into the kitchen, and his eyes fell to her butt. John sighed because she was right. It did. Because after the teens went to bed he was going to make love to her, watch her fall asleep, and thank god for this life he did not deserve to have.

* * *

AN: Sorry this is late in the evening of Friday but it was so busy and I still have to work out :/ But I enjoyed writing this cute little moment of John's healing, some family moments, and furthering the case they got. Next chapter more happens with Carter and Fusco's case, and a small little family moment.

Oh and I'm nearly complete with another crackfic that should make all readers run screaming in the night to get away from me, because I'm weird and I have a weird sense of humor. But here's just a little teaser for it:

**"Stop touching my crotch Shaw!" Joss's body cried in outrage and Joss looked at her body realizing that John was inside it. **

**Shaw/John busted out laughing and Joss sighed inwardly. John's laughter was so sexy even if it was Shaw that was making it happen. "Oh this is rich, Reese is in Carter, but what are you going to do to stop me? I bet your body would love Carter's hands down your pants!"**

Yes, the body swap crackfic that was spun while talking to a fellow reviewer is nearly complete. A lot of awkwardness, a lot of humor(my sense of humor though so if you read and go WTF I understand), and maybe a lot of romance too ;D I promise I'll stop writing crackfics after this one.

Thanks for reading XOXOXOXOXOX


	5. Chapter 5

"John, I know you are tired but you need to get a move on, because today is adoption day!" she called out, feeling giddy and unable to force the smile off her face. She felt so happy right at this moment, she felt happy even though she couldn't sleep at all last night and not just because her husband had made love to her slowly and tenderly but because of being so excited about this morning. She felt like a kid on Christmas morning, but instead of opening gifts she was receiving the best gift of all, legally adopting Simon as her son.

Joss gave herself one last look in the mirror before rushing out of their bathroom, finding Simon on their bed in his TMNT costume still, with his favorite stuffed turtle beside him as he tried to tickle John awake. Simon must have wiggled on the bed himself because she had not even gone to his room to go wake up their boy. John was groaning at being awakened so early.

She smiled. "Simon, get daddy going," she ordered as she ran to her closet to get her heels that would match her pantsuit, and then have a change of shoes for work.

Simon did his level best, crawling all over John, trying to tickle him, but John played dead. "Daddy is you sweepy?!" he said in John's ear loud enough to probably make her husband deaf, while he sat on John's chest, and was leaned closely to John's face. His tiny little hands playing with John's cheeks. John's hands moved quick as he lifted Simon high up into the air unexpectedly, making him squeal in delight, and his tiny legs kicking out as he wiggled. Joss turned to watch them. Simon's laughter was contagious as it was John's turn to tickle him. She forgot to finish getting ready for their meeting with the lawyer to sign the adoption papers because watching them together was her favorite pastime.

And unfortunately for them they wouldn't get to spend all day together either because she had to go to work after the signing and brunch with Taylor and Hayley, as did John and he had to get his stitches removed too. Shaw was handling Atwater's case while they were getting ready for the adoption signing, but John wanted to go help because he was desperately hoping they could stop whatever bad thing it was before it happened and capture Brandon Reed so she didn't have to pose as Jocelyn Rice. So Taylor and Hayley were going to babysit Simon for them until evening.

John set their son onto the bed as he sat up. Simon crawled to the edge of the bed, before sliding his legs over, and dropped to his feet. John handed him stuffed turtle which sent their boy off running out of the room. "T?! T, T, T!" Joss laughed as she heard Simon's squeal of happiness as he realized Taylor was here.

"Hey baby brother!" Joss sighed, hearing loving chatter from her sons before they appeared on the threshold of the doorway. Simon was hugging Taylor tightly, his turtle crushed between her two sons' chests. "Hey mom, I'm going to take Simon downstairs with me."

"Okay Tay," she answered watching him leave before she turned back to her closet to finish getting ready for their morning. She got her heels on before turning to look at her husband, seeing he had been watching her as he sat on the bed, and she saw the look in his eyes.

"Oh no, we have a houseful of kids all of who are getting up and we are not running late with the lawyers," she said firmly, recognizing the look.

The sexy smoldering look had nothing on his sex dripping voice. "Come here, Joss."

"Are you insane, I'm not going anywhere near you!" she shook her head. "I'm all ready for adoption signing and then work. Sex has to wait."

"Not when you are looking like that Joss," he moaned as he eyed her.

She rolled her eyes. "I always dress like this for work."

"Which is why I always want you; it's your fault I have no willpower," he said smiled. "Close the door," he purred.

"Nu-uh, John. Yes, we are newlyweds but we can control ourselves, we only have like an hour before we have to leave."

"I'll get us off quick," he assured as he shoved the covers off of him. Her eyes drifted down, sighing as she eyed his bulging boxer-briefs. "I promise."

She shook her head as she backed up, then whirled around and made a dash for the door. She heard John rushing after her and she grabbed the door knob, slamming the door shut in her husband's face. "Get ready for today, John." She moaned as she held the door shut, hearing him rattle the knob, then he had the gull to laugh at her.

"You can run but you can't hide, Joss." He purred seductively, making her resolve nearly crumble. She turned and saw Hayley watching from the guest room which was down the hall from the master bedroom and the playroom and in the middle of Simon's room and the bathroom, across from Taylor's bedroom. She was watching from the threshold of her room, giggling.

Joss straightened her back, as she let go of the doorknob, realizing she looked like a hormonal idiot in front of her son's girlfriend. John opened the door, and she cleared her throat, and motioned with her eyes. John's hands that were reaching for her paused as he shifted his gaze to Hayley who was watching with amusement. John's hands dropped as he stepped back, making sure Hayley could not see his erection. "Morning, Hayley," he greeted as he held the doorframe with his hands, peeking only his head out.

"Morning," She greeted as she smiled. "You guys are so cute," she giggled before she turned to go down the stairs.

Joss glared at him. "Thanks a lot, John. Now we look like teenagers who can't keep their hands to themselves after I gave her and my son a lecture last night about staying here together but in separate rooms."

"Joss, we're married and we are not teenagers."

She huffed. "I know that, but just keep your underwear on and don't touch me, you make my resolve crumble when you're naked and touch me," she said as she pushed him back into their bedroom while the jerk laughed and she slammed the door shut. She turned to go walk to the stairs and silently prayed her cheeks would not heat up in mortification.

* * *

John entered the library feeling like he was walking on air. He could not remember ever being this happy. The adoption signing with Finch's lawyers had gone well, it was all legal now. Or as legal as it could get with him having an alias as a real name on their marriage certificate and on Simon's adoption papers. But Simon was his, he was now his son; Simon Davis Warren. They had all hugged, he told Taylor and Hayley how much he loved them, and had hated the tears that fell down his face. But he could not help it. John hadn't had a family in a very long time, never felt like he belonged anywhere, and now he did. He had a family he belonged with, he belonged to Joss, Taylor, and Simon. And he belonged here, he thought, working with and befriending Finch and Shaw. It had taken him a very long time to get to this point and he was damned if he ever was going to let it go.

Finch turned when he must have made a sound. He smiled. "How did it go, Mr. Reese?"

He smiled back at the elderly man. "He's my son legally now."

"I'm so happy for you and Jocelyn."

"Even though children usually make my skin crawl and annoy me, Simon is different, so I'm glad that he's finally ours," Shaw piped up from Finch's phone as he must have had her on speakerphone. John glowered at the atrocious thing.

"You mean Joss's and mine," he corrected.

"No I meant what I said." John rolled his eyes. "Meet me at Rosie's Diner, Mr. Mom."

"Why?" he was not feeding this annoying, nosy, and unwelcome gnat in his family. "Haven't you already eaten breakfast?"

"Yes, that's not why I'm asking you there, though if you offer to buy me something I'm not opposed to eating."

"Why am I meeting you there?"

Finch spoke up. "Our number is having breakfast there with his lawyer."

"Toby Atwater?" he questioned and Finch nodded. "Alright, I'll be there soon." He turned to exit the library to go sit on the stakeout with Shaw.

John arrived at the diner finding Shaw sitting in her car across the street from it, but positioned where she could see into the window. He exited his car before walking up to hers, opening the passenger door and climbing inside. "When was he released?"

"Early this morning and before you ask, no, I did not see Brandon Reed anywhere," she admitted as she handed him the binoculars. "He's been in their bitching and whining to his lawyer about being arrested. The prick's lawyer thinks he can schmooze a judge into dropping the charges against him."

"Do you think that Brandon Reed is watching this guy and waiting for the right time, or do you think he's setting something up?" John muttered. Couple of numbers they have worked that ran with Brandon Reed as the perpetrator, they had come up with little warning, and others were like this, days in advance. They guy had absolutely no rhyme or reason to his attacks, which made him even harder to stop.

"Not sure Reese," Shaw admitted. "But Finch is sending the FBI proof that Atwater is to blame for the fifty or so deaths, that he knew about the side effects and did nothing which hopefully will get this guy indicted and save him from an unsavory death from the hands of Reed. The only problem with getting the guy arrested is that we have to use Carter as bait and we both know how much you hate that plan." She said flicking a look his way.

He nodded. Everyone knew his stance on Joss being bait. "I know but we have to save this sorry excuse's life, which means my wife has to pose as bait," he said.

"I was somewhat hoping you'd opt for using this guy as bait," Shaw said. "But Finch said you wouldn't, and I guess I'm outnumbered here."

"You are; as much as I hate sending my wife onto the front lines doesn't mean I want to use this guy as bait instead. My wife can handle herself, while this moron can't." They watched as their number exited with his lawyer from the diner, looking still hotheaded about being arrested for that DUI. They finally climbed into their car after a terse few minutes of Atwater jacking his jaws, and Shaw followed at a safe distance behind so they had no idea that they were being tailed.

* * *

"So how did it go?" Fusco asked as Carter walked into the bullpen, towards the table with the coffee-pot resting on it. He sidled up beside her.

She smiled. "As well as expected; Simon is our boy, legally." She grabbed a Styrofoam cup to pour herself some coffee. "Speaking of that, next week we are going to have Finch and Shaw over to celebrate and we want to invite you as well."

"Hell yes, I'll be there, I have something for the squirt."

She lifted her eyes, eyeing him questioning. "What?"

"I found him some more Dr. Seuss books," Fusco said and she smiled. Simon did enjoy learning to read and did enjoy his Uncle Lionel reading to him. His favorite was The Cat in the Hat.

"He'll love it! Did I tell you he's learning how to read already? That LeapFrog tablet is a wondrous thing."

Fusco smiled. "Your kid is intelligent, he picks up words whenever he hears them, which is why you had a long talk about not saying shit because Aunt Shaw said it." She nodded her head, remembering that vividly, it was why they didn't let anyone swear in front of his little ears.

They walked together towards their desks, while they were sipping their coffees. "Anything on our priority case yet?" she asked.

"Actually, yes, you'll love this. There's finally a common link, it's not much, but there is something linking the two detectives together."

"What?" she asked giddily.

He picked up paper before walking over to her with it, handing it to her. She eyed it, seeing it was the call list of both detectives, as they put a rush on Erikson's from her cell phone company. He had highlighted on both Detective Deekins and Detective Erikson's call list the same number. "Whose number is that?" she questioned.

"Take a guess, Carter." When she shook her head having no clue, he answered for her. "Scarlett's,"

"Wait Scarlett's, as in Scarlett's escort service that's run by Miss Scarlett?" Joss questioned. Her meetings with the walking and talking cliche, Miss Rose Scarlett, were always unwelcome. Her real name used to be Jennifer Witton before she changed it to Rose Scarlett when she began running girls. Scarlett had avoided jail a few times thanks to Zoe Morgan, who she was a client of.

"One and the same."

She eyed him perplexed. "What were two detectives doing calling an escort service? Do you think they were undercover trying to bring them down again? Does Scarlett's run men now?"

"No just women," Fusco said. She nodded her head. That meant that Darla Erikson was experimenting, a lesbian, or posing as one if she was indeed working a case against them. "But the thing is Carter, there was no police sanctioned investigation from either precinct into Scarlett's, they called the service themselves."

She sighed. "I guess I have to meet with Zoe Morgan to get the whereabouts of her client, which means I have the unpleasant task of meeting with Miss Scarlett to find out who Erikson and Deekins were escorted by, see if there is a common thread with the escort." Joss didn't really want to meet with Zoe or Scarlett. About a month ago John and she had met with Zoe to talk about a case they were working on together, and Joss had noticed the way Zoe eyed John. She had felt a bit jealous and possessive.

"I'll join you, I always enjoy watching you put that Scarlett woman in her place," he said with a smirk.

"Can't," she said as she stood up.

"Why not?"

"It's for our case, if Miss Scarlett gives me the run around we need someone to go on the inside with the escort service."

Fusco shook his head, no. "Oh hell no, Rhonda would be mad as hell at me if I called an escort service!"

"Fusco, it would be for the job and Rhonda wouldn't care, and if she did you can make it up to her. But you can't come with me if we need you to go undercover," She admonished as she pulled out her cell phone, searching through her contacts for Zoe Morgan.

"Who are you calling, your wonder-husband?"

She looked up then shook her head with a rueful smile. "No, not unless my husband unfortunately managed to become a leggy brunette woman," she said with laughter before turning for the exit when she found Zoe's name and clicked it. She heard Fusco grumbling when Zoe Morgan answered.

"Hello, detective." Zoe greeted warmly. "How's John?" she purred, making Joss's hackles rise.

"_My_ husband's good," she assured her, making sure the woman knew that John was now her husband and very much hers. "Look, can we meet, I need to ask you for a favor?"

Zoe took a long time to answer. "Sure, I can free up some time, how about you meet me at the Queensboro Bridge in twenty minutes," she suggested.

"I'll be there," Joss assured before hanging up.

Joss arrived on time, which wasn't atypical of her she was always on time or early. But what somewhat shocked her was the brunette woman that arrived usually fashionable late was earlier than her. She smiled at Zoe. "Hello, Ms. Morgan."

"Hello, detective." Zoe greeted pasting a smile on her face. "So when did you and John tie the knot?" she questioned as they fell into step side by side, walking with the Queensboro Bridge off to their right.

Joss eyed her, "Not that long ago." Zoe nodded her head. "Thanks for meeting with me, I know you are busy."

Zoe waved her off. "I like you detective, I'm jealous and envious of you, but I do like you."

"Jealous? Of me?" Joss questioned allowing her shock to sound in her voice. She would never have figured that Zoe Morgan had anything to be jealous of her about. "Why?"

Zoe smiled. "You have a very interesting and very good looking man as your husband." She admitted with a wistful look crossing her pretty face. Joss wasn't sure if she was envious of her having a husband who was interesting and good looking, or was it because it happened to be John who she showed some obvious interest in. "So you called wanting to ask me of a favor?"

"Yeah I need to speak with one of your client's, which I figured you might know where she is."

"Who?" Zoe asked as she pocketed her hands in her red, long wool coat. Joss eyed her.

"Miss Rose Scarlett," Joss said and Zoe smiled. "Her escort service is in the middle of an investigation and I have no idea where to look for her. I need to speak to her about her girls."

"Sure detective I can give you a number you can call to meet with her, however, there is the fee I require for that information." Zoe agreed. And Joss felt herself stiffen. If she asked for a meeting with her husband she would tell her to buzz off.

"What is it?"

"A future favor for me for my clients no questions asked, you help." Zoe said. Joss felt herself to relax.

She didn't care to be in someone's debt like that, but if she had to she had too. "One favor and you have yourself a deal, as long as this number pans out." Zoe nodded before pulling her hand out, turning a business card of hers over, and Joss handed her a pen. Zoe wrote a number down before handing her it and the pen.

"Give my love to your sexy husband," Zoe winked before turning to walk the way they had come, while Joss watched her leave with a smile. She pulled out her cell phone, dialed the number Zoe gave her and waited a moment, until a rich and husky voice filtered over.

"Hello?"

"Miss Scarlett?" Joss asked.

"Yes, and this would be?"

"Your favorite detective, remember Jocelyn Carter?" Joss questioned as she turned around to walk the way they had come as well. She heard a rather annoyed sigh.

"How did you get this number, detective?"

"I have my ways, Scarlett we need to have a meeting." Joss said.

The woman laughed. "Why? I have nothing to say to you, Jocelyn you rebuffed all of my requests of acquiring your services. I could use a beautiful African American woman like yourself here, or is that why you are calling? Have you finally given up on that pesky cop career and coming to somewhere where you'll make real money?"

"I thought I told you that if you asked me to be an escort again, I would arrest your ass for anything I could think up, and that has not changed." Joss snapped. Rose Scarlett was one annoying woman. "But don't worry I'm not meeting with you because you are under suspicion of murder this time unlike our last time we spoke."

"My poor Bobby," she sighed. Joss had willed it to be this woman that killed 'her' Bobby, but unfortunately it had been a co-worker that had killed him during a previous homicide case she worked with Fusco. "You have come after me a couple times, Jocelyn." She sniffed now sounding hurt.

"Yeah well it seems unfortunately for me that some of my investigations run into you. In fact that's why I'm calling, Scarlett."

"My girls are all safe this time, not a single one of them is dead this time."

Joss rolled her eyes. "Yeah well your clients aren't as lucky. Two of them that have called your services frequently are now dead, and both were cops."

"Oh dear how unfortunate for them." She said not sounding the least apologetic.

"I need the list of escorts that met with a Darla Erikson and a Ryan Deekins, and if you don't give me it I will slap a subpoena on you, and arrest you for obstruction of justice."

The woman chuckled. "No need to get so uptight Jossy, I will help you out of the goodness of my heart as long as you just think about coming to work for me. Meet me tonight, where a sexy red number, so I can evaluate you."

"You can go to hell, I'll get that subpoena and the arrest warrant." Joss assured as she arrived at her car. "Or you can meet with me now, with the list, and we go our separate ways Scarlett."

"Fine, meet me at The Pony Bar on 10th Avenue, I'll be there soon."

Joss smiled. "I thought you'd see it my way, as always it's annoying to talk to you Miss Scarlett." She said before she hung up. Joss mentally prepared for her meeting with the woman she rather drink acid than speak too.

* * *

AN: Okay, I just couldn't resist the idea Scarlett constantly asking for Joss's services lol. It just too fun. It kind of reminded me of Elias wanting to hire John XD And in the next chapter, the crazed lunatic makes his comeback XD 

Thanks for reading!


	6. Chapter 6

Joss headed home after a long day of trying to figure out the top priority case. Her meeting with Rose Scarlett had fortunately resulted in a long list of escorts she employed and a list of escorts both her deceased victims met with. Joss had to rebuff her only twice during the entire visit. It was as if Scarlett was realizing she preferred her life as a cop, finally it penetrated that thick skull. Must have taken so long because of the astronomical amount of hair products the woman used, it put John to shame!

She entered the ten digit code, before hearing the click, and the lock unlocked for her to open the steel door. The moment she entered she knew something had to be wrong. She saw Shaw, Finch, and John off in the living room appearing in a deep conversation. She slid the door shut before rearming the alarm and was greeted with Simon.

"Momma, momma, momma." He bounced happily. She smiled as she picked him up, hugging him to her.

"Hello my little man," she greeted before setting him on his feet, John was before her, and brushed his lips on her cheek in greeting. "Hey you." She purred.

"Hey," he greeted.

"Where are Taylor and Hayley?"

"Out to a movie," he supplied. "We have an issue, Joss."

"Oh? What?" she questioned as she took off her jacket, sliding it on a hook in the foyer closet before following him into the living room. Simon was seated on Finch's lap, with his tablet, and Bear at his feet. He was sounding out words with the help of his tablet. Shaw was watching with a disinterested look but stood up when she saw her. "What's going on?"

"We got Atwater arrested. He's currently being indicted on multiple counts of second-degree murder, which will probably get pled down to manslaughter, but he'll be in jail for a very long time. That's the good news, the bad news is that with us getting him arrested for murder means our boy Reed will be moving on to a new victim. And you want to be that person."

She nodded her head as she folded her arms across her chest. "You guys did good, this is for the best. We saved Atwater's life and got justice for the people that he had harmed."

"What about you, Carter?" Shaw asked.

"I'll be fine, I'll have Fusco by my side as John stipulated, and you guys will be there every step of the way." She said. John and Shaw nodded their heads in agreement.

"Joss, can we talk in private?" John asked. She nodded her head, following him towards the kitchen while Shaw sat in the living room turning on the television. "Finch is going to introduce Jocelyn Rice to the world, tomorrow."

She nodded. "Okay,"

"And when he does that, you'll be on Brandon Reed's radar."

"I know and I'll be safe you have to know that." She assured grabbing his hand. "You know I can handle myself."

"I know that, but what about Simon?"

"What about him?" she asked furrowing her brows, unsure of what he meant.

John looked away before sighing roughly. "This isn't like last time, where you had a stalker who was enraptured with you and you could escape his watchful eye. Brandon Reed is a real threat, not someone that is easily fooled. To get him to go after you, you have to become Jocelyn Rice, and not be Joss Carter."

She swallowed hard. "Which means we can't be together until this is all over."

He nodded slowly. "It is for the best, Joss, even though I hate it and my pride feels a bit bruised that I can't protect you or Simon from this threat." He admitted and she felt the same sentiments. Her pride was a bit wounded too. She knew she would be fine, but, she hadn't fully anticipated the ramifications of becoming bait for Brandon Reed. Because John was right, she couldn't knowingly stay at their place even if it was like Alcatraz. Not when Brandon Reed was a major threat. She truly had to become Jocelyn Rice, a despicable bitch. "Harold has our safe house listed as your residence, which as you know has a lot of safety precautions, so you and Fusco will be save there."

"What about my case? Fusco and I were given a priority case with those two dead detectives. Fusco and I were about to divvy up the escorts to talk too. We think that the killer lies in there." She had commitments, work to worry about. Reed needed to go down soon!

"Shaw and I will handle your priority case, while you and Fusco handle Reed." John assured.

She stared at him. "Are you crazy? John, you broke into Harold's home because he wouldn't tell you how you two met, you have to play this by the rules! This is a police sanctioned investigation, not one of your vigilante ones."

"Shaw and I can handle playing by the rules just this once." He said with a smile. She snorted, she highly doubted that. "Besides, we'll call Fusco to take the culprit in once we figure out who it is." He offered in a lame attempt at placating her.

"When is he introducing Jocelyn Rice again?" she questioned.

"Tomorrow,"

Joss whirled around, storming out of the kitchen to go back into the living room. "Okay, Shaw and Finch can you guys go, I want my last night home with Simon and John, alone and uninterrupted." She demanded. They had to tell Simon about momma leaving, she had a feeling that her boy would be mopey without her around.

They nodded their heads. Finch picked Simon up out of his lap before he stood up, and Bear followed slowly. Joss watched them off, before she turned to look at her family. She had only one night and she wasn't going to waste it.

* * *

Days have been moving at a snail's pace ever since Jocelyn Rice was introduced on Saturday morning, Taylor and Hayley had gone back to school Saturday evening, and she hadn't been able to see him off. Sunday had been uneventful, and today was no better. She just wished she could be home with her boys rather than at the safe house where she was stuck at until this Brandon Reed situation cleared up. But they had to do this they had to put their son ahead of their own prides which meant she had to stay here with Fusco, while John stayed at home with their son. It was a sacrifice but one they were willing to make because it was in the best interests of their son.

But it felt like years since she saw John and Simon, when it was only really two days. Saturday morning had been really hard on her, John had kissed her goodbye as did Simon, and she was forced to let them go. The only way she got to have any communication with them was via cell phone, and it was only at night before Simon went down for the night.

She sighed forlornly as she entered the living room where Fusco was at. "Remind me why I decided to pose as Jocelyn Rice, Fusco?" Joss wondered out loud as she flopped onto the couch, face first. Lionel was seated on the sofa chair, watching Monday Night Football, while their case of the two dead detectives' file was open in his lap. He turned his face from the direction of the television to smile at her.

"Because you wanted to protect Glasses, remember." Fusco reminded. Joss wiggled until she was on her side, looking at him as she rested on the couch. She felt lonely without her boys. She missed snuggling at night with her husband, she missed her son Simon, and watching cartoons with him. Not to mention if this Brandon Reed issue didn't get cleared up soon, her son Taylor would be back in from college this weekend and she would miss getting to see him too.

"Okay now remind me again, why we think John and Shaw can handle our priority case Fusco?" she questioned. Not that she questioned their ability to solve cases, what she questioned was their ability to not break the law to do so. They never been in the position they were in before. They had to hand off one of their police sanctioned investigations off to John and Shaw while they worked the Brandon Reed case which was one of the typical ones that John and Shaw tended to work.

"Well your husband and Shaw have the stolen badges that Fisher, Shaw, and Finch have collected over the years. I think they'll be fine, besides we are helping as much as we can just as they are helping as much they can with us." He assured as he held up the manila folder.

She nodded her head, eyeing her watch, and scrambled to get up. "I have to call John, it's nearly Simon's bedtime." She was giddy. This was the only way she could be in their lives right now, calling them on her cell phone, and she wasn't going to miss it for anything. She hurried into the kitchen to have a little privacy and called John.

He answered on the first ring. "Hello, Joss," he greeted and before she even got to say anything in return her boy sang hello to her.

"Hi momma's boys," She greeted her guys. "What did you two do today?" she questioned. She got a lengthy answer from Simon, and she understood most of it, something about playing outside with daddy then something about Sesame Street and TMNT. Joss wasn't sure what happened but it seemed noteworthy to her son, so she oohed for him on cue.

"Momma, where is you?" Simon asked as it sounded like he was practically hugging John's phone. His tiny voice was loud. She could imagine her husband with Simon in his lap, phone in Simon's hands as he spoke directly into it. Simon asked this question and it broke her heart that she couldn't be with her baby.

"Momma has to work but daddy is with you, and momma will be home soon as she can. And what did momma and daddy promise you if you were a big boy and behaved for daddy?" she asked with a smile.

"See See on Ice! See See on Ice!" he squealed in delight. Joss knew it was wrong to bribe their son with the idea of going to see Sesame Street on Ice but they had to do it. He had been crying as she knew he was going to, and she also knew that her baby would be mopey without her. And if this situation expanded for a week or two, she didn't want John in the position of trying to calm their sad child every night. She wanted her son happy, so getting him to focus on what he'll get if he is a good boy during her absence was what they had to do then it was what they had to do.

"Exactly, we get to see Sesame Street on Ice." She agreed. "I love you baby boy,"

"I wuv you momma," Joss closed her eyes. She loved hearing that.

"Baby, can you let daddy talk?" She asked and she then heard John murmur to Simon about watching Spongebob Squarepants, and she heard the cartoon in the background. She waited a few moments.

"Are you alright, Joss?" he questioned quietly.

"Yes, I'm fine, a bit bored but both me and Lionel are safe."

"Good, have you had a sighting of Brandon Reed?"

She rolled her eyes, of course her husband was going to ask that every night. "John, honey, I'd tell you that first off, but no there was no sighting of Reed." She said. "I miss you and Simon." She whispered.

"I miss you, and Simon does too. Although Finch, Shaw, and I are doing our level best at distracting him of the fact that you're missing. He doesn't realize it until at night, he gets a little mopey, and cries for you."

"Is he sleeping in his own bed?" she questioned.

"Yes," he sounded like he was smiling.

"Did he eat all of his dinner?"

"Yes,"

"Did you get his bath in?"

"Yes," John agreed.

"Brushed his teeth?"

"Yes, he's doing better at getting the hang of it."

She nodded, glad, that was about all the questions she had about Simon. "How have you been sleeping?" she asked quietly. He had dodged the question last night, but she had asked a little too late in the call, and John had used their son as an excuse to hang up before he answered her. She knew how her husband was dealing with nightmares recently, and she was worried without her in the same bed they might get worse. John was quiet for a little too long. "You're not sleeping restfully are you? Are you having a lot of nightmares?"

He sighed. "Not really since I have been dealing with a little bit of a bout of insomnia."

Joss closed her eyes as she rolled her shoulders. She should have known this was going to happen. John was having a hard time sleeping with the nightmares as it was, now with her not in the same bed with him, and relaxing him after he had one he wasn't sleeping at all. "John, you need sleep, your work dictates that."

"You sound like Finch now and as I told him I'll sleep once you are safe, and back at home."

Joss wished he would listen to her, but knew he wouldn't. And she knew damn well that he wouldn't take any sleep-aides because of not wanting to be compromised. John did not like having any drugs in his system. She didn't want to argue with him, she would call Shaw to make sure he was alright.

So she switched the topic. "I saw you and Taylor speaking quietly by yourselves while Hayley and I were in the living room with Simon the other night, what was it about?" she questioned. She had been meaning to ask but with having to leave to the apartment and become Jocelyn Rice, left her no time to ask him.

"Why do you want to know?"

"Because," she answered and he laughed softly. "Well, because we don't keep secrets from one another, John, and I was just wondering what my boy told you."

"It was nothing,"

"Well if it was nothing why won't you tell me what you two talked about?" she questioned, making sure her voice remained light.

"It was nothing that you need to worry about Joss, he just wanted to confide something to me that he didn't want you to know."

"What can't he tell me?" she asked.

"I can't tell you that since he swore me to secrecy, Joss, and I gave him my word that I wouldn't tell you. But to calm you, momma bear, I promise it's nothing bad."

She huffed. She waited and waited, until she couldn't bare it. "How about you just tell me and I'll pretend I don't know. That way you didn't break your word to my son and I know what is going on with him."

John sighed. She just never gave up did she? He couldn't tell her that Taylor asked him to go with him Christmas shopping for her early, because she was hard to purchase for. "Babe, relax, your son is alright it's nothing that is bad he just wanted to tell me something. He asked me not to say anything to you about it."

"Then it must be bad because he can tell me anything."

John had to think of something to throw her off the scent because once she realized he was being truthful to her about it not being bad then she was going to know it was Christmas related. "Okay, it had to do with school and that's all I am going to say Joss."

Joss grabbed at her chest. "What about it? Oh my god he's not going to finish college because he's going to ask Hayley to marry him isn't he?" She loved Hayley with all her heart, she really did, but she didn't want to plan a wedding this early.

"No, that's not it, how did you even get to that?" John demanded. "Joss, honey, it's not bad I promise, I wouldn't tell you it wasn't bad if that wasn't the case."

"I know it's just….why can't he talk to me?" she sounded petulant. "What is he afraid that I won't support him if he wants to change his major? Not that I care if he wants to be a cop like me or not. It's up to him."

John had to tread carefully here or she'll figure it out that it was about her Christmas gift rather than what he was telling her about. "When he's ready to tell you, he'll tell you, I promise." Which would be on Christmas Day but that was his secret.

"Okay you're right, I'm glad he has you to confide in." she admitted. She was glad that her boy could talk to John about anything; it was what she was hoping for. She was hoping her son would love John and she was lucky that he did, and John loved him in return.

"Our son is about out, Joss I should get him upstairs in bed."

"Give him extra kisses for me."

"I will, Joss be safe, please."

Joss smiled. "I will, I love you John."

"I love you more Joss, goodnight."

"Night," she whispered back wistfully. John reluctantly hung up with her. She put her phone down really wanting to be with her husband and son.

* * *

Brandon paced the floor of his home. He hadn't heard from Gabby, he needed Gabby to talk to him. He needed to know who she chose to be cleansed. He had failed her when he hadn't gotten to Toby Atwater before he was arrested. He cried when he realized he failed her but she came to him and told him it was alright. That Atwater wasn't going to be able to make anyone else suffer any longer and that his work to purge the world was needed elsewhere. He had felt instantly better after her voice came over him. So he concentrated on expanding his list, adding people to it, people like Jocelyn Rice. She was horrible, the things she had done reminded him of his step-mother.

He eyed the only photograph of his Gabby that he had. She was beautiful, she was holding their newborn son. The photograph was the only one Gabby managed to give him before her parents had forced a restraining order on him to keep him away from her. She apologized to him as she handed him it. It was his most treasured keepsake.

"Gabby, please tell me who is next. I need to know." He pleaded to her smiling face. He closed his eyes and waited.

He was rewarded when her soft voice echoed through his lonely apartment. "_I have chosen,_"

"Who my love, who is the next to be cleansed?" he asked as he licked his lips.

"_Jocelyn Rice…she's like your step-mother, she's even fouler. Her, she's next."_

Brandon shook as his eyes reopened and his beloved's voice disappeared, making him whimper as he was once more alone. This Jocelyn Rice was like his step-mother, but worse. His beloved never led him astray, Jocelyn Rice had to be next, and had to be purged of this world.

* * *

John fussed with Simon's TMNT fleece blanket up to his chin, after having made sure he was alright for the third time since putting him down for the night, and turned leaving the room. It was late, he was having a rough time relaxing, and he felt so tired but could not sleep. He had been watching informercials. He barely got back downstairs when the steel door to his place opened. He tensed then glared when Shaw and Finch entered. "Do you guys ever call before just deciding to show up?" he questioned a bit irritable.

"Someone is cranky when he doesn't get his sleep." Shaw joked and then held up her hands when he just glared at her. "Would you prefer Finch and I to go back outside and call you, and pretend we give a damn about your wish for privacy?" she offered.

John made a face before turning to walk to the kitchen with them hot on his heels. Finch let Bear off his leash and the dog tore off up the stairs to find Simon. "Mr. Reese we are worried about you."

"About me, why? It's my wife we should be concerned for." He stated as he opened his refrigerator to pull out a beer which was promptly snatched out of his hand by Shaw. She snapped the cap off taking a swig of it.

Finch gave her a look before watching John once more. "But you are not sleeping John."

He turned to pull out another a beer for himself. "I'm fine," he assured. John felt something sharp pierce his arm, he looked down seeing a syringe sticking out of his arm, and grabbed Shaw's wrist and flung her against his counter but not before she injected him with whatever was in that syringe. "What the hell is this?" John demanded feeling his eyes droop.

Shaw knocked his grip off her wrist off, before she slipped from her position between his body and the countertop. She smirked at him. "A sedative, something that should help you get some sleep you need."

"I'm going to kill you." He growled as he blinked trying to glare menacingly at Shaw and then Finch.

"I like to see you try," she snickered as both she and Finch each grabbed an arm, leading him towards his couch in the living room. Finch grabbed a couch pillow, placing it on the arm rest, and Shaw shoved him onto the couch. He lay on his back unable to really move as his eyes continued to droop. He watched with half slit eyes as Shaw removed his shoes and slowly without wishing too, he slipped into the darkness of sleep.

Shaw watched as he struggled but ultimately the sedative worked. She put his shoes down at the corner of the room and saw Finch glaring at her. "I thought we had decided to offer the sedative, not force it on John, Ms. Shaw?"

"You really think he would willingly let us inject him with a sedative? I don't think so. I only agreed with you to get you to help me lug him in here after I injected him. Finch the idiot needs sleep and we'll be here to make sure he and Simon are alright while he gets that rest. Besides I think Carter would applaud us."

Finch doubted that. He would say the detective was going to be very unhappy that they sedated her husband. But arguing with Ms. Shaw would not change the fact that she already sedated John with enough drugs to down a rhino. John would get the much needed rest he had been lacking for the last few nights, really ever since Joss had left to stay at the apartment on Saturday.

He just hoped that John would be in a better mood, a mood that didn't involve throwing them out the moment he awakened. "So Finch who gets the master bedroom?"

"Neither of us, Ms. Shaw that is Mr. Reese and Jocelyn's domain we are going to take Taylor's room and the guest bedroom." He assured.

Shaw pointed at Reese. "But he's clearly going to be sleeping on the couch, he's out cold! He would never know I slept in their bed."

"Ms. Shaw…."

"Alright, fine, I'll take the guest bedroom." She relented. "But I need a snack before we go get our bags from the trunk, I'm starved." She said as she slid her jacket from her body throwing it on the other armrest near John's feet. Finch actually agreed with her, he was hungry himself, and followed Shaw into the kitchen.

* * *

AN: As if you haven't figured it out by now Brandon Reed's own subconscious is choosing who he wants to go after but the whackadoodle is believing he's talking to a dead woman XD And I have another chapter for you guys today, yay.


	7. Chapter 7

John slowly felt himself stirring back with the world. It took him a full minute to remember what happened last night, and his eyes snapped open. "Shaw!" he growled as he saw it was light out. He sat up immediately. Shaw was seated on the sofa chair besides the couch he had been lying on, with Simon in her lap. She was so lucky she had his son in her lap! Finch was on the other matching sofa chair across from him reading the newspaper.

"What is this, what is Wow Wow Wootzily?" Shaw asked perplexed. "Where the hel…heck is the puppets or TMNT?" she demanded, hastily stopping herself from swearing.

He eyed his watch. "It is called Wow Wow Wubbzy and it airs before Sesame Street on Sprout." he stated carefully hiding his anger from his son. Joss and he had memorized the damn airing of these shows since Simon had his favorites. He loved TMNT, Wow Wow Wubbzy, Sesame Street, and Spongebob Squarepants. Simon was seated in her lap, still in his long sleeved TMNT pajamas, sipping from his sippy cup, and had a chocolate chip cookie in his other tiny hand. His stuffed turtle was with Finch seated in his lap as if reading the newspaper with him.

Simon tore his gaze off his cartoon, reaching for him. "Mmm, mmm, mmm," he moaned as he bounced in Shaw's lap as he continued to drink. John stood up briefly to pick his son up out of Shaw's lap, snatching him to him, and sat him in his lap. Simon went back to watching cartoons, lying back against his chest as he drank and ate.

He glared at Shaw, who finally managed to look away from the cartoon herself, and smirked. "What? It's not like you can do anything to me with a toddler in your lap? And you needed the sleep; you can't tell me you aren't feeling at least a little better."

Finch put the paper down to eye him himself. "Are you more rested, John?"

"Yes, I am rested, but if you ever try that again, Shaw, I will break you apart with great pleasure." he guaranteed.

Shaw laughed. "Hey, I'm just keeping you alive because if something happens to you, Carter will be ticked at you and then me for not doing anything to help you. Now bust a move, Reese, we have a new number to work."

"Who is it? Is it Joss's alias's fake social security?" he demanded with a soft brush of his son's hair almost subconsciously needing to touch his son to relax him.

"No, not yet anyway." John eyed Shaw.

"Well, who is the new number?"

"Her name is Arianna Wallace, a twenty-eight year old waitress. Finch hacked her Facebook account while you were getting your beauty rest and learned she is nearly eight months pregnant, due next month, a couple weeks before Christmas."

He was stunned as he first eyed her then Finch. "Have you ever had a pregnant number before?"

"No, Mr. Reese, we never received a pregnant woman that was a number before. This is uncharted territory for us."

"There could be numerous reasons why her number is up, including about the baby. Maybe the father doesn't want the child and wants to off her because he doesn't want to support her," he said with a sigh.

"Or the baby's daddy is married," Shaw supplied. "Maybe the daddy was stepping out on the old ball and chain, and gave a little too much extra sauce to Arianna." John made a face at Shaw who shrugged. "What? I'm speaking PG for our little rugrat." he rolled his eyes.

"Or it could be not even due to the child, Finch; have you looked into Ms. Wallace's background?" John asked.

"I have, Mr. Reese, but there is nothing that looks out of the ordinary in her life. She works by day at Lyric Diner and at night she works as a maid at a motel. She is working double jobs to save up money for when the baby is born. Her friends on her social media sites she is a part of are complaining she has no time to hang out with them because of being pregnant and working so much. Ms. Arianna Wallace is unmarried and doesn't even appear to have a boyfriend. No one makes a mention of who is the baby's father anymore, I searched back, and she never answered the question when her friends had asked."

"Maybe she doesn't know," Shaw said.

"Or maybe she doesn't want to say." John said. "Do you know anything else about her, Finch?"

"Not much, Ms. Arianna Wallace is orphaned. She lost her parents in a car crash at the age of three, she had been in the system ever since, and was never adopted," Finch said. And that meant at the tender age of eighteen, Arianna Wallace had been kicked out of the system, forced to make it on her own. His respect for the young lady went up. Instead of falling on hard times she had gone out and found a job for herself. It had to be hard to be all alone for so long, have no one to rely on but yourself. He understood that, however, he hadn't had it as rough as her. At least he had his mom for a little while.

"What about the priority case we have to work for Carter and Fusco?" Shaw asked.

"We'll have to split up, but first we need to get eyes and ears on our new number, then one of us needs to go meet with those three escorts that have admitted to having escorted both Deekins and Erikson," John said. "I can't believe I'm going to say this but, Shaw would you like some breakfast, my treat?" he offered and Shaw's eyes lit up.

"I was waiting for you to ask, Reese."

* * *

They were playing the waiting game now. Harold had made her alias 'Jocelyn K. Rice' someone she despised even worse than the Reeds. They figured Brandon Reed hated them and were the reason why he was doing what he was doing in the first place. Taking revenge on everyone that reminded him of his father and step-mother, not caring who got in his way of his personal vendetta against the one percent. Finch had mirrored how Brandon Reed was treated by the Reeds with Jocelyn Rice, trying to get him to look at her rather than anyone else. She hoped it worked, because she wanted to get back to her life that she was forced to leave behind ASAP.

Finch had made an itinerary for her to follow just in case Brandon Reed watched his victims first, causing Fusco drive to her around much like he was supposed to. She had already had breakfast this morning at an upscale restaurant where she had to pretend to be a snobby bitch to the waitresses. Then later this afternoon she was to talk to Harold Wren on a conference call to make it appear like she was as awful in person as she was on paper. And if that somehow didn't work Finch was already planning a meeting with her and Mr. Wren. She hoped it didn't come to that, because she didn't want Finch anywhere near the field, besides that, she was only a decent actress. She was having a hard time being mean to everyday people. She would never be able to show her face in that restaurant again after the way she made the waitress cry horribly!

"I'm not cut out for this, Fusco." She sighed as she sat in the backseat of the small Lincoln he was driving. She fidgeted with her hands.

He smirked at her with the rearview mirror. "What, being a bitchy snob?"

"Yeah, I feel so bad for making that girl cry, it wasn't even her fault, she took my order perfectly."

"It's your cover," Fusco reminded. And she knew that, but she couldn't wait until she could shed Jocelyn Rice's cover because she was going to take about ten showers; she couldn't bare the things that she had to say and pretend to have done. Her cell phone rang but it wasn't her personal one, but rather it was the one that Finch had gotten for her for her cover.

She answered slowly. "Hello," forcing snootiness into her tone.

"Jocelyn Rice?"

"Yes that's right. Who the hell is this, nobody has this number unless I want them too!" Joss said, using her best irritated voice that she used for Shaw sometimes. Fusco grew concerned when she looked away from his eyes in the rearview mirror.

"You are as vile as they come." Joss froze as she stiffened. This had to be Brandon Reed.

"Excuse me, who are you to say I'm vile or not? I'm Jocelyn Rice, business mogul, and you would be?" she demanded, as she picked up her personal cell, pressed record before she put herself on speakerphone. "Hurry up I don't have all day to waste time speaking to some nobody, time is money, and you're wasting my time which means you're wasting money," she added when he didn't immediately respond.

"I'm someone that takes it upon himself to fix this world, to save the world from people like you."

She rolled her eyes, getting into her cover even though her alias Jocelyn Rice was a disgusting person. "People like me, people who are rich you mean. How did you get this number, I'll have it changed, I don't speak to _lesser_ people than me." She spoke quietly but distinctively. It was how she envisioned Clara Reed spoke.

"You can change your number, you can even try to hide but I know your truth, Jocelyn Rice. You are filth that needs to be cured and cleansed of her ways."

"Let me guess, you're poor, right? Again, who is the filth? I bet you are one of those pesky tree-huggers that desperately tried to protect the forest I chopped down for my apartment complex I'm building. You people are the filthy ones and have the nerve to call me trash. Ever heard of taking a shower?" Joss sneered. The words were just flowing out of her, trying to piss this guy off as much as possible. She had reviewed her bio Finch had made for her, and she knew what to say to really get to this guy. "Look, if you are calling me to protest the new mini-mart, I already took the others to court and won. I'm building that mini-mart and going to tear down that failing and utterly useless orphanage." She said dismissively.

"What about the children?" Joss heard his voice shaking, probably with barely suppressed rage.

"What about them, who cares? They'll find a new orphanage or better yet, they'll go on the street because I'm tired of paying taxes and supporting those freeloaders," She sneered and saw Fusco wince.

"You need to be cured and cleansed as soon as possible….you are so cruel."

Joss lifted her chin. "Don't call me again, I have caller I.D. so I can and will go to my attorney and slap you with a restraining order, and maybe even a defamation of character lawsuit. I have friends in high places that can and will take everything from you!" She yelled.

She didn't hear anything for a moment or two except for ragged breathing, "I've already lost everything ... and soon you will too." And with that a dial tone greeted her ear, she ended the recording on her personal cell and hung up the other.

"Geez, Carter was that really necessary?" Fusco demanded.

"Yes, it was, Fusco." she immediately called Finch. "Finch, he contacted me." she said before he even got a chance to say a greeting.

"Brandon Reed contacted you, when?"

"A couple minutes ago, I said some things to him to piss him off, I think it worked. He's probably going to come after me sometime soon."

"Jocelyn, do you think that was a good idea?"

"Finch, we need him to make a move on me. He called me so I took my chance at really getting under his skin, now he'll come after me and not anyone else. It's why I'm bait, remember."

"Well detective if he called you, then it is possible that he had called the others, as if warning them….which means he knew in advance who he was choosing, and still the machine didn't give us some of their numbers in time, why?" Harold sounded perplexed.

"I don't know, but what I do know is this guy needs to be stopped regardless if the machine sends us Jocelyn Rice's number in time or not."

"I'll need that phone number, Jocelyn."

"I'll text it to you, along with the recording of our conversation," she replied.

"Joss," Finch spoke up before she hung up. "Be safe."

She smiled. "I'll be fine, Finch," she said before hanging up with her friend, hoping that Finch would not tell John about the recording. And she hoped like hell her little talk with Brandon Reed was enough to get the guy to look at her.

* * *

Brandon let out a primal scream as he slammed his fist against the wall, punching a hole in it, and didn't feel a single ounce of pain. That Jocelyn Rice was the worst one. Jocelyn Rice took great joy in being evil. She was going to bulldoze a perfect orphanage for a damned mini-mart that no one needed. Those children needed a safe haven and she was taking it from them.

Brandon shook as he tried to control the building fury he was feeling. He didn't feel the pain he was sure was ebbing from his wound where his knuckles were bleeding. His blue eyes were on the framed photograph on the end-table. He picked it up as he staggered to sit down onto the sofa. He needed to calm down. He had a lot of work to do, but doing it while upset did nothing to help cleanse this world of the vile like Jocelyn Rice.

Gabby's smiling face peered up at him. "Gabby, our plan to cure the world of people like Declan and Clara Reed is coming along," he whispered as he brushed his fingers across her face, tears welling up. "I'm trying, my darling, to make this world perfect just like you were, but sinners like Jocelyn are making it tough. Please talk to me again, please give me the strength to keep going, I need you to help me keep going," he begged as he closed his eyes, willing to hear her voice again. She hadn't spoken to him since she chose Jocelyn Rice; he needed her to tell him to keep on their quest to avenge her, to make the world just like her….perfect.

_Brandon you are strong, keep saving the world by ridding one foul soul from the world at a time. We will be together again __soon._

His eyes opened, smiling unevenly, as he eyed her face. "Oh thank god, I haven't heard your voice in so long! Yes, yes, I'll keep up our work. Our work is the most important thing to me so I can see you and my son again one day, my love. I will cleanse them all of their ways, so I can end my torment, and be with you again."

* * *

Shaw had taken the Wallace case, while sticking John with the escorts thinking he could get them to open up to him quicker. He preferred Shaw to deal with the escorts, the last time they met with them, he had not escaped without having a few too many come ons. But he was meeting with Dianna McBride, suspect number three, having met with the other two already. She had agreed to meet with Detective Stills rather easily, and had tried to get him to meet her at some sleazy motel. But he had requested a diner.

He entered the diner, seeing the flashy red head who appeared to be waiting for him, because the moment she saw him, she smiled, and thrust her breasts out. "Just great," he muttered to himself as he forced a cheery smile on his face. "Ms. McBride, it's a pleasure, if you don't remember me, I'm Detective Stills."

"You are a very _hard_ man to forget Detective," she purred, emphasizing the word 'hard' as she crossed her legs, leaning forward so her breasts nearly popped out of her low cut dress. He nodded as he sat down across from her, immediately feeling her foot climb his calf. He shifted.

"Ms. McBride, you admitted to having escorted both Darla Erikson and Ryan Deekins. Can you tell me when those nights were, what you did on them?"

"Sure, I slept with Deekins, but Erikson and I had a few drinks together. They both paid my fee up front, I stayed with them most of the night, and we parted our ways by two in the morning." John nodded his head, which had the same thing she told him previously. "It was pretty much standard."

"I see," he sighed. He had been hoping she would have slipped up and said something that she hadn't said before. "How often did you see Deekins and Erikson?"

"Twice with Darla; she was really sweet, and I think she was just lonely and in an experimental phase. I'm bisexual and I can usually tell others that are like me and I can say without a shadow of a doubt that she was not bisexual or a lesbian; I tried to convince her that it was just her disgust over the male population. And Deekins, I met with a few more times than Darla but not by much. He was going through a rough divorce and I think he needed tension release."

"So they were relatively new clientele?"

"Yeah," she agreed. His eyes met her green ones, finding he was hitting a dead end here. She didn't seem to be the killer any more than the previous two escorts he spoke with this afternoon. "I'm guessing I'm one of the suspects because I escorted the two detectives, huh?"

"Yes, but, I get the sense you aren't a killer, Ms. McBride."

"You have good senses, I didn't kill anyone... but I would like to slay you in bed," she flirted. He chuckled, wondering why he figured he would not be subjected to useless come ons from her. "I bet you scorch the sheets, detective," she purred.

"Ms. McBride..."

She actually pouted. "You really aren't attracted to me in the slightest, are you?"

"I'm sorry..."

She waved him off. "I'm really good at reading people, at figuring out how people feel, and you'd rather be anywhere else besides listening to me flirt with you, which means that you're either gay or taken. My pride is really hoping you are gay," she said with a smile.

He returned it. "I'm taken, I'm married actually."

"Damn, the fine ones are always taken," she muttered before eyeing his ringless finger. "You might want to start wearing your wedding band during work hours or you'll endure countless come ons." He looked down before looking back in her eyes.

"I'll keep that in mind." She nodded and, for the first time since sitting down with Detective Stills,she straightened her posture and had a more demure look on her face rather than the 'stalker eyeing her prey' look that she had previously. "Thank you for your time, Ms. McBride," he said with a sigh, realizing this case wasn't going to be as easy as he had been originally hoping.

She lifted her gaze onto him. "Wait, before you go, I might have some information for you. Something strange, really."

"What is it, Ms. McBride?"

"First off call me Di, anything then the boring Ms. McBride, please. And secondly I had an unusual conversation with a new girl that just started to work at Scarlett's."

"Weird conversation? What did this new escort say?" he asked.

"Jade, she's the new girl, Scarlett just hired her about a few weeks ago, and she asked me all about my clients including Erikson and Deekins. She was interested in hearing about them." He blinked, remembering the name, but she wasn't one of the women he was going to meet with. She didn't even have either one of the deceased as a client.

"So it is unusual for the others to ask you about a client?" he asked.

She shrugged. "Somewhat, us call girls don't usually ask about the clients but I thought it was because she was new. And I think Jade has a thing for me, she is crushing on me." Dianna admitted as she leaned forward with a smile. "I can tell."

He nodded. "Did she ask about anyone else?"

"Yeah, she was asking about a lot of my clients, I have several regulars. In fact I have a regular client who always called me on every Friday, well this past Friday came and went without a call, which is irregular for him. He's a sex addict, his wife can't satisfy him all the time, so he has call girls. I'm his usual Friday, and my friend Betty is his girl Wednesday."

"Did this guy meet with Betty?" There was a chance that the connection wasn't who Deekins and Erikson met with, but rather who they didn't want to meet with. If this Jade woman truly had a thing for Ms. McBride it could mean she was jealous enough to kill off her clientele to make room for herself. Passion and obsession were a deadly combination.

"I'm not sure as I said it's not usual for us to ask one another about clients."

"You said Jade just started working there? How long ago would you say?"

"Um, a few weeks ago I think."

John nodded his head thoughtfully just about when the murders started. "Thank you Dianna you have been a great help, but I have a favor to ask of you?"

"Sure, anything for you, sugar." She winked at him.

He smiled. "You know I'm married,"

"Yeah but a girl can still flirt with a hot guy can't she?" she asked as she leaned her chin on her hand with a smile. He nodded his head.

"Can you give a list of men and women that you escorted since Jade has come to work there as well as the list of the clients she asked you about, so I can look into them all." He asked.

Dianna stared at him in shock. "You think Jade is behind the killings of your fellow detectives?"

"I'm not sure." He admitted. "But to rule it out entirely I'll need you to make a list so I can look into it." She nodded her head. "And can I ask you one more question Dianna?"

"You can ask me anything you want, detective."

"You're an extremely intelligent woman, you can have any job you want, why did you settle on being a call girl?" he asked in general wonderment.

Dianna blinked in surprise. "You think I'm intelligent?"

"Of course you are Dianna, you can have a pick of the lot in jobs, and you settled for this one I was just curious as to why?"

She shrugged. "I never really thought of myself as intelligent."

"Well you are not giving yourself enough credit. For a woman to be able to connect with people as well as you have done with Deekins and Erikson, and possibly your other clients you are selling yourself extremely short."

"You are really sweet," she said with a smile.

He shook his head. "I'm just telling the truth." He murmured before pulling out a card, writing his personal phone number on the back of it. "Call me at this number with the list, please, and as soon as possible. If it is this Jade doing this, I need to stop her before she hurts anyone else."

Dianna nodded her head. He stood up, turned, and exited the diner. He had a gut feeling that it might be this Jade woman. None of the call girls that he met with had seemed to be fidgety or lying to him. John was generally good at reading people. Sometimes they fooled him but not often. His cell rang but that was too quick for Dianna to have gotten him the names and he saw it was Finch's unknown cell number. He answered it quickly. "Is Joss alright?"

"Jocelyn is fine," Finch assured.

John breathed a sigh of relief before he tensed again. "Is Simon alright?" he asked knowing that Finch was babysitting for them at his place.

"Simon is alright, he is currently watching his favorite cartoon Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, but Jocelyn Rice's number has finally come up. You might want to come to your place for a few minutes I have a recording you need to hear." John swallowed hard hearing that his wife's alias's number finally managed to come up. It's what they wanted but he needed Shaw and himself in position to make sure she was alright.

He furrowed his brows at what else he said. "A recording?"

"Yes you have to hear it to understand why it's upsetting," Finch admitted sounding distressed by it.

"I'll be right there, Finch." 

* * *

AN: Joss just lit that guy up didn't she XD Let's just say John doesn't exactly agree with her tactic in the next chapter!

And one small thing about the updates for Entangled III, I am going to post much quicker there will be a constant Friday update but I was going to post an additional chapter on Tuesdays as well. I think 2 chapters a week will flow much quicker for me.

Anyways, thanks for reading!


	8. Chapter 8

Joss and Lionel were so bored, they were playing Go Fish. "Any eights, Carter?" Fusco asked and she eyed her hand.

"Go fish," she sighed.

"Hey this is your idea since we are bored of watching television already."

"I know; I just wish we could go home. This whole day was filled with me being a horrible bitch and we got nothing."

"Well there was that phone call this early afternoon where you lit up Reed." Fusco pointed out. "Ask, Carter," he motioned with his cards.

She huffed. "Any kings?"

He smirked. "Go fish." She angrily picked up a card when her phone rang.

She giddily got up. "Thank god," she muttered.

"I heard that," Fusco called out.

Joss eyed the phone, seeing it was John's number and she smiled, one of her favorite men to talk to. She answered immediately. "Babe, please tell me you are rescuing me from this hell called relaxation, you have no idea how bored me and Fusco are."

"Can't," Joss paused, as in that one word she could tell something was definitely off with her husband.

"You okay? Are you getting any sleep? Is Simon alright? Is he missing momma?" she asked quickly.

John took several moments to respond and it was still frosty. "Simon is alright, he misses you, but Finch has him distracted with playing outside while we talk privately."

She noted that he didn't say anything about sleeping, she'll bitch him out in a few minutes. "Are you upset with me?"

"I'm not upset with you Joss, I'm furious." Joss nodded as she walked back into the living room.

"Hey Fusco, I need to take this privately, I'll be in the bedroom." She said and he nodded his head with a knowing smile.

"Phone sex right, go knock yourselves out, newlyweds. Just be quiet, I don't want to hear that," he said with a slight grimace. She wished it was phone sex but Joss could tell John was very angry, judging by the tone of voice. She had a feeling Finch told him about the recording.

Joss hurried into the bedroom of the safe house, shutting the door, before sitting on the bed. "Okay, I'm alone, why are you mad?"

"Don't even do that, Joss; you know why I'm angry."

"Okay, I'm assuming you know about the phone conversation with Brandon Reed," she said and the gruff sound he made was answer enough. "John it's going to be alright," she whispered.

"You don't know that, you painted a giant bulls-eye on your back with the guy, judging by the recording you sent Finch," he hissed in her ear. "You are supposed to be playing bait, not pissing this guy off."

"I had a bulls-eye on me before that conversation," she defended. Okay, maybe the things she said were harsh but it was only done to get him to make a move!

"You egged him on."

"John, I only did it to get him to come after me and not someone else. I had to become Jocelyn Rice, say those things, and be cruel."

"That's not why you did it though, Joss."

"Yes it was."

John felt his temper flaring. "No it wasn't, you did it because he shot Shaw and me!"

"That's part of it," she felt her temper flare up too.

"It's not a part of it, it's all of it. You said those things to piss him off because of what happened to us and nothing else," John stated, calling his wife's bluff. She might know him in and out but the same went for him. He knew how his wife felt and he knew that those words that poured out of her were done out of anger over what happened to them. "Joss, you wanted to get under his skin, you wanted to verbally piss him off, but you took things too far."

Her anger snapped. "Yes, okay, yes those cruel things I said came from the part of me that was furious over you being grazed and Shaw being shot. John it was inches, INCHES, and he would have shot you in the head," her breath caught. She felt unshed tears glisten in her eyes.

They both were quiet for a long while, just breathing softly on the line. "Joss, I'll fight till my dying breath to come back to you, to Simon, and Taylor." He still sounded angry but not as much as he had been.

"I know," she agreed. "I just keep thinking about you coming home that day with that graze, I obsess over those what ifs, John." She took a shaky breath. "And when I heard his voice this afternoon, that fear and anger of what could have been took over," she admitted. Was she proud of how she handled herself during that phone call, no, but she did feel better that she got to exercise some of her anger out on the man.

"Just promise me, you'll be safe because, Joss, your alias's number came up immediately after that. I don't want you alone at all."

She swallowed her pride. "I'm not, Fusco is with me at this safe-house, remember," she reassured him even though her independent side was screaming to add 'which I don't need' but didn't.

"Listen to me, when you do leave that safe house make sure you have enough clips to go a few rounds with Reed, and you and Fusco should both wear a ballistics' vest at all times."

"We will," She agreed with a long suffering sigh as John went from pissed-off-husband mode to overprotective husband mode.

"After that sort of conversation with an unstable man, he's going to be gunning for you even more than before. You know where the stash of extra ammo is in there, right?"

"Yes I know where the extra clips, ammo, and freaking body suit is, John. We'll be fine."

"Promise me, you'll be safe Joss," he demanded.

Joss softened as his voice grew almost desperate. It must be very hard on her husband to not be able to be here with her. "I promise, John, I promised you before that I'll do whatever to come home safely as you would do the same. And I promise you now, I'll do whatever it takes to come home safely," she whispered softly, knowing this was coming from a place that was scared of losing her. "Even if it cramps my style, but if it makes you happy, then I'll do it," she added and he let out a half chuckle. Joss felt herself relax.

"Thank you," he appreciated her sacrifice, coming from his ever independent wife.

"So uh, where do we go from here now that my alias's fake social security number has come up?" she questioned.

"Shaw is finishing up a number as we speak, Arianna Wallace who had been the impending victim since the baby's father was married and wanted her to abort it. Arianna refused, so the man opted for murdering her and her unborn child rather than let his wife in on the fact that he stepped out on her and got another woman pregnant."

"Wow," Joss sighed. There were so many cruel and selfish people in the world.

"After Shaw catches this guy, she'll be heading to the safe-house where she'll be staying with you both for extra security for you and Fusco."

"Fusco and I don't need extra security," she tried.

"Too bad, you are getting it regardless if you want it or not, Joss."

She clenched her teeth. "But Reed knows Shaw's face," she pointed out irritably.

"I don't care, we've showed our faces to him on other numbers he had tried to kill before," he countered and she had absolutely nothing to refute his claim because it was true. "And I'm nearly finished with your priority case, Joss, so I should be able to hang around in the shadows since I can't stay there with you."

"No, John, you need to be safe for our son, and you lurking in the shadows looking for this guy is not a way to remain safe. As you pointed out, you have shown your faces to Reed and he might be out to kill the man in the suit for getting in his way constantly."

"I'll be fine, he'll never see me."

"No, please just take care of our boy,"she demanded. "So help me, if you don't stay away, I'll blow my own cover," she lifted her chin, knowing she wouldn't do it but hopefully John didn't.

"Joss…."

"No, I get you want me safe, I love you for it, but I want _you _safe! You already stipulated that Shaw is going to be in here with us, she'll be protected in the safe-house with us, but you won't be if you are outside lurking around for this guy." She shook her head. "Our baby needs you, I need you." Her voice got a little rough at the end.

"Alright, Joss, I won't stakeout your safe-house alone, but if we can't lure this guy to where you are and we have to set him up for a trap to capture him, I'll be there every step of the way."

She nodded, taking what she could get from her husband, knowing it was a giant win on her side. "Thank you, I love you, and I'm sorry for worrying you."

"I know, I love you too, Joss."

She smiled. "So who is the culprit of the priority case?" she asked gently, getting them off Brandon Reed as he seemed a little less angry but not quite happy with her. She would just make it up to him for worrying him so much and she just knew how to do it. She smiled wickedly.

"It appears to be a case of pure jealousy. Dianna McBride is one of three escorts that met with both Deekins and Erikson just before their murders. Dianna McBride brought up that one of the other escorts was asking her all sorts of questions about her clientele. Well, Dianna thinks she has a crush on her and I looked into things. Three more men, all of who were Dianna's clientele, have turned up dead. I think it's this Jade woman that is killing these men and women because of either jealousy they got to be with Ms. McBride, or jealousy that McBride has a lot of clients."

Joss just nodded. "You'll call Fusco to have him arrest this woman legitimately right?"

"Of course," he assured.

"Without a wound to the kneecap?" she questioned further, knowing how her husband operated.

"Maybe," he hedged and she rolled her eyes. "Just remember to be safe, Joss."

"I will."

* * *

John arrived home just before dinner time, knowing he had to make spaghetti for him and Simon and maybe Finch if he decided to stay. He had called Fusco to arrest Jade Nash after Shaw had finished up the Arianna Wallace number. John didn't need to be a detective to tell that she was the culprit with the amount of fidgeting she had done, and then there was the fact that she grew very angry as he spoke about Ms. McBride; the ultimate deciding factor had been her trying to shoot him. He smiled, she had no idea who he truly was, and he had easily disarmed the woman and kneecapped her. Maybe he'll tell Joss about kneecapping her, just to rile up the woman he loved.

He entered the long ten digit code before he heard the click and he entered. "Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaady!" Simon squealed happily as he seemingly was sitting near the door waiting for him with his turtle and Bear beside him. Simon bounced at his feet as John smiled and picked him up. Simon kissed his cheek, John reciprocated before putting him back on his feet. Simon grabbed his hand trying to tug him forward. Finch exited the kitchen with a smile.

"Mr. Reese, he has been waiting for you for the past hour," Finch explained the mess of toys near the door that his son must have lugged half of his toys in the playroom downstairs. Simon continued to try tugging him into the living room. "He wants you to watch his TMNT show."

John looked down at his son, and shook his head. "We can't watch your Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles until we clean up our mess," he said with a look at the toys.

"Pweasssssssssssssssse, daddy affer," Simon tried. John felt himself softening, but he refused. No, this he was not budging on. He remembered his mom and dad making him clean up before he could watch any television and he was going to instill that in his son. He made a mess, now he had to learn he needed to clean up.

"I'm sorry, Simon, we have to clean up before we can watch." Simon pouted before whirling around and running to his toys, trying to pick them up all at once, and dropped action figure after action figure as he tried to gather them all into his little arms. John laughed softly as he walked over to his son. "I'll help you since I am more than sure that Uncle Harold helped lug these down," John said loud enough for Finch to hear him. Finch suspiciously disappeared. John picked up ninety percent of the action figures that were on the floor, before he and his son went up the stairs painstakingly slowly.

Once his toys were scattered on the floor in the playroom, he carried Simon downstairs into the living room, sitting down with Simon in his lap. "See, Simon, we didn't miss much," he whispered as the theme song finished. Finch entered the living room. They watched the cartoon quietly and didn't say anything until after it was over. Simon wiggled off his lap to go get his tablet, before climbing back onto him.

"I have to start making dinner." John commented in between praising Simon who was showing off that he now knew how to spell, read, and pronounce the words: dog, cat, hat, eat, and other three letter words.

"Don't worry about it, Mr. Reese, I ordered takeout; I ordered you steak and ordered Simon chicken tenders. I'll go pick it up for us, because I have a surprise for you and Simon," Finch said, looking positively gleeful.

He eyed him, while Simon was still enthralled in playing with his tablet. "What?"

"A Skype call with Jocelyn, that way Simon gets to see her and so do you."

"Is it safe for her to make a Skype call?"

"Of course it is, Mr. Reese, the only way I believe that Mr. Brandon Reed could learn who she truly is if he places a bug on her, since he can't get into the safe-house the only way he could do that is in person. There is no way he'll get close enough so that leaves the only way he'll learn who she is to know how to hack into the internet connection, which I sincerely doubt could happen. I took great strides in making our internet connection in the safe houses nearly impenetrable from outside hackers," Finch explained. And John smiled, of course Finch would make absolutely sure to make sure they were hack proof, especially coming from a guy who was a computer genius.

Finch stood up, grabbing his laptop, John shifted Simon onto his one leg, so he could balance the laptop on his other leg. "Is she already on?"

"Yes," Finch said with a quick smile before turning. "And while you three have a private conversation, I'll go pick us up dinner," he explained as he disappeared from the living room.

John didn't even look up he stared at his beautiful wife, feeling all the lingering anger he had about what she had done evaporate in seconds. "Hey you," he whispered seeing, his son was so intuned with his tablet he had no idea his momma was waiting for him.

"Hey you," she responded and that got their son's head to snap up.

"Momma?" Simon called, looking towards the door.

"No, momma's not here but look at the laptop, Simon," John murmured. Simon did as he asked and he squealed happily as he wiggled closer to see the screen better.

"Momma, momma, momma!" he chanted.

"Hello baby boy," Joss smiled.

"How is you in there?" he wondered as he touched the screen.

"Magic," she responded, not about to get technical. "You believe in magic don't you baby?"

"Uh-huh," he nodded his little head.

"Good Simon, cause look, I have Uncle Lionel and Aunt Shaw here, that want to say hi too," Joss said and John watched both Shaw and Lionel popped into the webcam's sight.

"Aunt Saw, Uncle 'nal!" he squealed. John smiled, thankful to Finch for doing this because Simon was so excited.

"Hey Simon," Lionel greeted the boy.

"Read!" Simon begged.

Lionel smiled. "Maybe some other time, short stuff." Lionel and Shaw waved bye, before they disappeared and he heard Joss ask them to shut the door. He recognized where she was in the safe-house, she was in the bedroom.

"So what are my boys up to?" she asked. John's eyes wandered across her, she had her hair down, was wearing a t-shirt. She looked so beautiful even without her makeup on. Simon began to list off the things he did because he took his playing and watching his turtles as serious business. "Sounds like fun, baby. What did you eat for dinner?" she asked.

"Uncle Harold is getting us takeout, chicken tenders for Simon, steak for me, and I have no idea what Finch is getting for himself," he answered.

"Momma wishes she was eating with you and daddy." And they wished she was too. He more importantly wished she wasn't in danger, her fake number was up, and he was worried. But he was doing his level best at shelving it for her and their son.

John looked at Simon. "Hey, Simon, why don't you go get your picture you drew to show momma?" Simon's eyes grew big, a toothy smile widened on his face as he wiggled to get off his lap. Their son ran to the end table where it sat waiting to be shown to momma. John looked back at the laptop with a crooked grin. "Wait till you see this Joss."

"Oh god, our baby is an artist too?" she sounded ecstatic.

He hid his laughter as their son hurried over with the atrocious but sweet attempt at drawing. He helped Simon back onto his lap where Simon situated himself and then held out his picture, prominently displaying it as if it was a piece of art.

"O-oh, would you look at…..Simon baby, what is momma looking at?" John swallowed his laugh as Joss turned her head left then to the right in a valiant attempt at figuring out what the hell their son drew.

Simon pointed at the first purple, green, black, and red blob. "Momma," he said before pointing to a bigger blob of color that was a brown, red, orange, and gray color. "Daddy," before moving onto a skinny blob of color that was T, and a small blob of color that was him.

"Oooooh, it's a family portrait."

"Uh-huh," Simon nodded his head.

"Simon, go put it back so I can put it up on the fridge," John requested and his son scampered off to do as he was asked. John eyed the screen. "He's like a little Picasso, Joss," he teased and she gave him a look.

"John, our son is no artist."

"What, it looks just like Picasso's pictures!" he assured her and Joss snorted with laughter. "Don't tell Finch I said that, he thinks I need more art culture already." John winced at the thought of going to another art exhibit with his friend. He much preferred the museum they went to that had a lot of historical artifacts rather than going to an art exhibit. Simon was back and they ended the topic of pictures.

John wished Simon wasn't in the room because he wanted to ask about her and her safety. But he couldn't with little ears around and there was no way to fool his son into leaving so he could have a private moment with his momma. He eyed his wife, really wishing he had her in person, because he would have his wife beneath him at night. He shifted a little making sure his son was not anywhere near his groin. Maybe he should think about football stats, stop his brain from thinking about having his wife under him, groaning in ecstasy.

The door to the house opened with Finch carrying a bag of food. Bear lifted his head from where he laid on the floor near their seat. "Simon, tell momma goodnight and tell her you love her." John commanded.

"G'night momma, I wuv you."

"I love you more baby boy, blow momma a kiss," she demanded. Simon grinned and smacked a hand to his mouth, kissing, and then blew it towards the screen. She grabbed her cheek. "Ooh, momma felt it, here comes mine." Joss blew him a kiss and John laughed softly as he grabbed his cheek. "And here's one for daddy too, and I am aiming for those lips," she purred with a wink. He snorted as Simon slid from his lap to run after Harold into the kitchen with Bear hot on his heels. John smiled as she went through with blowing him a kiss.

"Joss, is everything alright there?"

She sighed. "Yes,"

"Has Shaw settled in?"

"Yes," she assured. "Now go eat, give our son a bath, and then get some much needed rest, John."

"You too."

"I love you, John."

"I love you more and when this is all over with, I'm going to…." He paused making sure Simon was with Finch before he eyed her on his screen. "….I'm going to fuck you all night long,"whispered.

She smiled. "I'll be thinking about you _all_ night long, maybe I'll annoy Shaw and Lionel by pleasuring myself and moan your name as loud as I can." she purred seductively.

He winced as he felt his cock jerk in response. "Stop, I have to go eat dinner with Finch and Simon," he pleaded.

"I can't wait to come home to be with you guys."

"I can't wait either, Joss, because then Reed is apprehended and everyone is safe."

Finch appeared in the entrance way of the living room. "Sorry to bother you, but Simon is adamantly asking for you, John." He nodded and held up his index finger to give him a minute. Finch nodded and left.

"I have to get going, Joss, but before I do, Taylor called and said he is coming in a day earlier, something about the class on Friday is cancelled by the professor."

"Is he bringing Hayley?"

"No, it's just him."

"Okay if this case isn't over by then, give him an extra kiss from me," She requested. He smiled and nodded. "Okay, I'll let you go now. Be safe, John."

"You too, my love." he blew her a kiss and she smiled. "And that wasn't aimed for your cheek _or_ your lips," he purred as he winked and she moaned as he logged off Skype feeling like he just got the last word on his wife. He set the laptop aside to go have dinner with his friend and son. 

* * *

AN: Just imagine had John and Joss been in the same room rather than on the phone all angry like I wonder would they have been able to keep their hands to themselves? Next chapter Reed takes a shot at our girl.

Thanks for reading!


	9. Chapter 9

Joss yawned and stretched as she opened her eyes, irritated that she had such little sleep last night. She tried to go to sleep, tried and tried, but failed miserably. It was her husband's blasted parting comment off the Skype call that did that to her. Telling her he wasn't blowing a kiss her way to her cheek or lips, left her to imagine exactly where he wished to be kissing her and it didn't exactly take a rocket scientist to know where. And that had her squirming all night long; it had gotten so bad that Fusco and Shaw asked her what was wrong. Joss had lied and said nothing, took a cold shower, but it had done nothing to alleviate her longing for her husband. Joss laid in the lonely double mattress bed, annoyed, and in need of her husband. The only solace she could find was she had no doubt that John was just as lonely in their bed as she was in this one.

Joss eyed the unwelcome bed partner that had found her way back into it. Shaw was snoring loudly, taking up half the bed, and she shoved the woman's body elbow out of her stomach. "You take up more room than John does and he's nearly twice your size," she snapped, about to pinch the annoyance awake.

"Please, like I believe Reese doesn't hog your side of the bed," Shaw said without opening her eyes. Good, she was awake so she didn't have to wake her ass up. "He probably sleeps on top of you."

"Yeah, well the difference is he's a welcome bed partner, while you're not," she snapped, getting Shaw's eyes to open and then she gave her a quick smirk. "For the millionth time; GET OUT OF MY BED!"

Shaw rolled out of bed, still in her shoes and her ponytail was lopsided. "Sorry Carter, but the damn floor is un-fucking-comfortable, and then Fusco snores louder than a jet engine! I couldn't sleep, and I need my beauty rest or I'm cranky. And no one wants me cranky." Joss rolled her eyes, this woman got on her last nerve on a good day. And today was not a good day, she was tired from lack of sleep. She wanted John in the worst way.

"Sorry Shaw I'm not mad at you, not really anyway," Joss muttered in apology and she rolled out of bed herself. "I just had a rough night."

"Let me guess you want to nail your husband?" Shaw asked and Joss was taken aback at how accurate her statement was. Shaw waved her off. "It wasn't too hard to figure out by the way you were squirming last night and then in need of a shower." Shaw shrugged. "As I said before, you and John love doing one another."

She lifted his chin defiantly. "We are healthy middle aged adults; there is nothing wrong with having sex, Shaw."

Shaw snorted. "Oh I agree wholeheartedly, Carter, I'm just saying you two bang one another quite often. I'm just hoping you two are practicing safe sex, we do not need little Reeses or little Carters running around."

"Shaw, John and I aren't looking to have a child, but if we ever did decide we would like one before the decision is made for us, the decision would be between John and myself," Joss assured her.

Shaw eyed her quizzically. "Wait, so then it's a chance? What happened to your not looking to change diapers?"

"I didn't say I wanted one, I just said that if it came down to it, the choice is John's and mine, not…." She paused and motioned at Shaw. "…yours, mine and John's. Get what I'm saying, Shaw?"

"But you didn't outright dismiss it either, you want a baby with Reese, don't you?!"

"Will you stop putting words in my mouth?! John and I just got married and we are content with our family the way it is, as of right now."

"Please, you and Reese have done everything quick though, you fell in love quick, got a little rugrat quick, and even got married quick. I just hope Reese isn't quick in the sack," Shaw said and she wasn't about to even answer her.

"And which is against everything both John and I wished for, we both wanted to take our relationship slow, Shaw."

Shaw snorted. "Like you guys were going to be able to go slowly, besides you guys remind me of my parents actually," Shaw admitted quietly. Joss smiled slowly. This was the first time she ever heard anything remotely personal coming from Shaw.

"We do?"

Shaw nodded getting a faraway look before blinking it away nearly as fast as it came. "Yeah, which means you two belong together." Joss just stared at her, really wishing the woman would give her more info on herself. But like John, Shaw was very quiet about her past.

"Well we should get ready for the day, and hope Reed makes a move quick because I really miss my boys." Joss actually pouted. She wasn't kidding when she said she missed her boys.

"Are you cooking breakfast?" Shaw asked, immediately looking starved.

"Nope, it's Fusco's morning."

Shaw made a face. "Lionel is cooking? It better be as good as yours." Joss laughed, she was in for a treat. Shaw exited the room first, and then she did, and couldn't wait to see Shaw's face as she ate the worst breakfast of her life.

* * *

"So that must have been fun, getting to have a Skype call with the little guy and the big guy last night," Fusco said quietly, making sure not to mention of who he was speaking about as he led her to their car, as he held the door open for her. She waited to answer until they were enclosed in the car.

"Yes, it was nice to see my boys,"" she admitted with a smile. "Hearing their voices is alright, but getting to see them is so much better; I can't wait to see them in person after we get this guy to make a move."

Fusco nodded his head. "It will be nice to get back to work; thankfully the captain thinks we are doing undercover work for a case and not helping vigilantes with their case."

Joss rolled her eyes. "Thank Finch for that."

"So was my cooking that bad, you haven't complained? Shaw said it tasted like death!"

Joss giggled, recalling the comical breakfast all too well. Shaw had nearly spat the food out into their faces. Said it tasted like death and proceeded to make her own breakfast after she said she was going to burn Fusco's.

"Well….I never really ate it since the one time, Fusco, no offense."

"Yeah you did!"

"Actually no I didn't, when you looked down I spit it out into my napkin which is why I have about ten napkins near me," she said honestly.

He eyed her in the rearview mirror real quick. "No way! You said you liked it."

"I know…I lied, I'm sorry, it was hard lying but I didn't want to hurt your feelings that your meals taste like cardboard."

"First death and now cardboard!"

"Well, cardboard is better than death, Fusco; it's not the worst I'd ever put in my mouth," she tried.

"But you didn't even swallow any of it." She winced. "Wow, I'm a terrible cook, must be why Lee always begs for meals out when he's at my place."

"Yeah."

"It must have stung fun sized to stay at the safe house," Fusco said changing the subject and sounding awfully happy about that.

He had no idea. The look of intense anger on Shaw's face was hilarious as they exited and told her to not wait up for them, like she had been Simon's age. Fusco parked in the heart of Manhattan. They were to go on a shopping spree, be rude and annoying there as much as possible, then meet with architects that were paid to draw up papers of a mini mart. Finch had gone to elaborate planning to perceive Jocelyn Rice as a real person to Brandon Reed.

They exited the car and she eyed the coffee vender. "I'm thirsty," she admitted.

"And starving too," he joked and she nodded her head.

Fusco and Joss were walking together towards the coffee vender when gunshots rang out. Joss turned and felt pain slice through her arm, making her grimace, and Fusco yanked her down. Screams erupted in the streets, he heard pounding footsteps, the vendor they had been buying their coffee from was running away.

Fusco attempted to lift his head to see out as he pulled out his gun, looking around. "Shit, its Reed and I don't have a clear shot," he yelled as he saw Brandon Reed was seated in a car, Fusco dropped down as he aimed the Uzi at him, and fired rapidly. Thankfully the people that had been running between them and Brandon Reed had the heads up enough to drop to the ground.

Fusco eyed her as she grabbed at her bleeding arm. "You okay, Carter?"

"Fine, it hurts like a bitch but I don't think he did too much damage." She said between tight breaths as she pulled out her gun.

Fusco grabbed at her hand. "Can't, remember?" She grimaced, but this time not out of pain, but because he was right. If she popped up with her gun aimed, her cover was blown. Fusco popped up and watched as Reed drove off, squealing his tires. "Coast is clear, Carter," he whispered as he bent to help her up. They both immediately pulled out their badges and minutes after the first gunshot rang out the cavalry arrived.

* * *

"Your deltoid is going to hurt like a bitch for the next couple of days, Carter," Shaw explained as she finished wrapping up her wound at the safe-house. Fusco was sitting next her while Finch was seated across from her, with Bear by his feet.

Joss nodded her head, having already taken an aspirin for the pain. "Did anyone tell John I was shot?" she questioned with a swift survey of the room and her friends' expressions. When they all shrugged that no they hadn't, she was grateful for once that they listened to her. This had to come from her and not any of them. "Good, now that I'm bandaged up, I need to call my husband." She wasn't about to hide this from John, but, she had no idea how she was going to tell him without him pulling the plug on this operation.

"Before you call Mr. Reese, Jocelyn, perhaps we should discuss the idea of luring Brandon Reed into a trap. Because having you out and about is unsafe for you and countless others' lives."

She nodded as she slowly stood up. "I agree, we put a lot of innocent people's lives on the line today, we'll have to figure out how to lure him somewhere more enclosed."

"Actually I have the perfect plan, Jocelyn. It requires speaking to mutual friends of course, but, if all goes well we should have Brandon Reed apprehended by the weekend." Finch said with a quick smile.

"Okay you three hammer out the details while I go call my husband," she said with a long sigh. "Anyone want to be me right at this moment?" she questioned. When no one even attempted to offer to help her give John the report, told her that they all knew John was about to have an apoplectic reaction. "Yep, that's what I thought too." She turned and walked into the bedroom, before pulling her cell phone out. Finch had told her that John had been given the day off, which was rare that their docket was clear. He answered the phone after a couple of rings. "Is this a bad time?" she asked.

"No, Joss, I'm just pushing Simon on his swing." He said and she could envision the sight they made. She wished she was at home with them. "So how is bait playing going?" he questioned innocently enough.

"It's going, actually Finch has decided to implement your idea of luring Reed to a neutral location where it's more protective of me, our friends, and innocent bystanders. This way isn't working," she admitted. Joss listened to his steady breathing for a second, praying she will be able to calm him down. "It's um actually why I called, John."

"What happened?"

"Brandon Reed made an attempt on me today, John," she said quietly and waited. And then waited some more because he didn't say anything readily. "Are you still there, John?"

"I'm still here," he assured her quietly. She swallowed hard at the tone. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she confirmed.

"Were you hurt?"

"I'm fine, John. Fusco was with me, but one innocent bystander did suffer a gunshot wound but not serious, thankfully." she said, purposely sidestepping his question. She knew his reaction was going to be bad once he knew she was hit. Joss eyed her bandaged arm. "So we have decided to use your idea. Fusco, Finch, and Shaw are currently coming up with where and when."

"I see," he answered. "Now answer my question, Joss, were you hurt?"

"John, I told you I'm fine," she tried again, praying he'd drop it and she could dodge telling him she was shot.

"But you won't answer if you were hurt or not, so I will ask you one last time, Jocelyn, were you hurt?" he demanded. And she gulped. She could already tell he was upset, as he rarely-if-ever used her full name.

"I was hit." She admitted finally, unable to keep it from him any longer, and heard him curse. "Our son is there, do not curse in front of him," she lectured. "John, I'm fine, it's nothing that a little rest won't cure. I was hit in the deltoid, Shaw looked at it, and told me it will be a little ginger. Shaw is going to get me a sling to keep it protected for a couple of days." She could hear Simon's voice on the other end. "John? What's going on?"

"I'm taking our son to your mother's and I'll be there as soon as I can."

"No, no, don't, please. John, our son needs to have some stability in his life and that is staying at his home with his daddy, his momma's fine," she chastised. Joss had to get him calmed down before he upset Simon. Simon was a smart boy, he would figure out his daddy is upset and then Simon would become upset.

"I'll be the judge of that."

"No you won't," she snapped. "Our son is our first priority, John."

"And he always will be. He'll be fine with his grandmother for a little bit; you are _my_ wife and I will be there shortly to make sure you are alright."

Joss sat down on the bed. "John, take a breath, I wouldn't be talking to you on the phone if I wasn't alright."

"Damn it, Joss, you were shot!"

"Where's Simon?"

"In the bathroom," he hissed. "Joss, I'm going to take our son to his grandmother's and come by to see you."

"No, you aren't! I will not risk screwing up all the hard work we have done at getting our son happy. I'm afraid if we change our son's routine too much then he might experience nightmares again, cry for you nightly again. He's just getting through that."

"You're just saying this to keep me from coming," he snarled.

"No, I'm not, I love you for wanting to come see me, but our son is first and foremost our top priority. John, please, our son has bounced back and can handle being watched by others for the most part, but he does get mopey. Finch and my mom have told us multiple times now that when you or I aren't around quickly, he cries for us. He's attached to us. His routine is when we need someone to watch him, it's in the morning and we get him by the evening if not before then. Simon knows this, so the moment you drop him off at middle of the day he'll notice, and I'm afraid it will scare him. Our son is very perceptive."

"Joss."

"Please, John, I'm alright, I promise."

John made a rough sound. "Fine, you win by using our son against me." Her breath caught as anger spiked inside her.

"That's not what I was doing, John! I would never use our son as a tool against you. I love our son and you, you stupid jerk!" she growled as she hung up on him before she said some things she would not be able to take back. How dare he say that to her?! She stood up, angrily moving for the door, yanking it open and nearly collided with Shaw. "What the hell, Shaw?"

Shaw straightened and tried to appear like she hadn't just been caught eavesdropping, before she shrugged. "What? Just because I didn't want to be the one to drop the bomb on Reese didn't mean I didn't want to hear what happened." Joss rolled her eyes before sidestepping the woman, storming her way towards the kitchen. She needed a drink, preferably alcoholic.

* * *

John smacked the banister in anger as the dial tone greeted his ear. He was upset with himself for saying what he had to Joss. He had been so upset that she had been shot and mad at her for not wanting him to come see her he said what he had in anger. John turned and saw his son looking up at him with bright blue eyes, his stuffed turtle hugged to him tightly.

"Daddy sad?" John worked hard at hiding his pain and anger from his son. Joss was right, their son was very perceptive, judging by the looming crocodile tears threatening to make it out of his son's eyes.

"Daddy's fine, Simon," he assured his son before picking up Simon into his arms, pasting a cheery smile on his face that he wasn't feeling but would suck it up for his son. "But change of plans, you're not going to nana's, daddy doesn't have to go to work." That perked Simon right up. He smiled.

"Pway?"

"Of course Simon, come on, we'll go play." And they would play until his naptime. When he was out cold then John would call his mother and apologize to her.

And in two hours that time had come. John had settled Simon into his turtle shell bed, before yanking out his cell phone as he exited his bedroom, and moved towards Joss' and his bedroom. He waited and waited until she finally picked up. "Hey, Joss," he greeted softly.

"That's how you greet her? How about saying; 'hey, sweet-cakes I'm sorry for being such a dumbass man'?" Shaw greeted in return, surprising him.

He scowled. "You're not Joss."

"Nope, so what gives, I don't get a greeting?"

"Shaw, where is my wife?" he demanded, having no patience for this woman's games. He was starting to panic that maybe her gunshot wound was worse than she had been letting on.

"She doesn't want to talk to you." Shaw stated and he felt himself relax. Shaw wouldn't be joking around like this if she was worse off than he figured.

"Does she even know I called?"

"No, she's in a deep conversation with Finch, quite possibly trying to decide how to divorce you." Shaw stated.

He started to count to ten. "Put my wife on the phone, now."

"Why?" Shaw asked.

"Because I want to speak to her, since I called her cell phone."

"Why?" Shaw asked again, starting to really piss him off.

"You sound like Simon, I do not need to explain myself to you, Shaw. Now give my wife the damn phone," he growled, his patience gone.

Shaw laughed. "You are no fun! Hey Carter, it's the ass," Shaw said loud enough for him to hear. He heard his wife yelling at Shaw for answering her cell phone, before he heard her breath filter through the phone. "Hey," she sounded exasperated.

He sighed. "Hey, it's the ass calling," he greeted.

"What do you want John?" she demanded. "I have a lot of plotting and planning with Finch going on, so snap to it, what do you want to say?"

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For saying what I said to you."

"And what did you say to me?" she asked. "Oh right, that I was using our son against you, that is what you are calling to apologize over, right? Or is it the fact that you were telling me that you were coming over here to make sure I wasn't lying to you? Is that what you could possibly be apologizing for?"

"Joss, I will not apologize for wanting to go there to see you."

"Oh so you believe I would lie to you about my injury! You know you aren't helping yourself here," she snapped.

"I didn't say I believed you would lie to me about your injury, but, I can't just sit here and do nothing, Joss!"

"So do you believe me when I say I am fine?"

He felt like he was between a rock and a hard place. How did he explain himself without further upsetting his wife? "Remember how you needed to check my injuries to make sure I truly was alright? Well, that's what I need too, Joss. I need to make sure you are alright, even though I can hear you and believe you when you say you are fine. Until I actually see you, I won't ever fully believe in it."

John waited a few moments before continuing. "I called to apologize for insinuating you would use our son against me. I didn't mean it, I know you would never do that to me, and I regretted saying that to you as soon as the words came out. I was upset because you were shot and mad at you for telling me to stay away."

"Apology accepted," she said after a few seconds ticked by. "I know this is hard for you, it's hard for me too," she said as her voice softened. "But Finch thinks this might be finished soon."

"How soon?"

"Real soon, and then you can make it up to me by giving me a massage and makeup sex." He could hear a smile in her voice before growing serious once more. "Finch has called Elias for a favor, where we will station the trap at one of his restaurants. Marconi is going to help keep watch for Brandon Reed with a few extra of Elias's men for extra power. Shaw wants to be inside the restaurant, so she'll be a cook, which leaves you and Finch outside, which I was steadfastly against but was outvoted. Fusco is going to escort me to the restaurant where I'll be meeting with Elias, to talk business."

"As long as you'll be safe."

"I will be. The majority of Elias's restaurants are fronts, his waitresses, waiters, hostesses, and cooks are all illegitimate and are actually armed men that work for his business," she further explained.

"Alright, just tell me when and where, and I'll have your mother watch Simon," he said.

"We are hashing it out right now with Elias," she assured him. "How's our baby doing anyway?"

"He's sleeping."

"Good, you got him down for a nap. How have you been sleeping, and please do not dismiss my question again, John."

"What can I say my sleep-aide is not around." He tried for a joke.

"This isn't a joke, John, you are exhausted. Do you sleep at all or is it the nightmares that wake you up and then you can't go back to sleep?"

He exhaled roughly seeing she wasn't willing to drop it just yet. "I haven't slept in days Joss, I doze off here and there, but I can't sleep, so it's not nightmares."

"Try napping now, while our boy is down."

"You worry too much."

"I'll always worry about you, John. You don't take care of yourself." He didn't want to argue, so it was time to end the call. He had gotten to apologize and she forgave him.

"I guess I should be going," he muttered. "I love you."

"I love you too, John," she whispered and they both reluctantly hung up. John yawned heavily as he slung his cell phone on the nightstand, before reclining back against the pillows. Maybe he would try, just for her, and slowly his eyes slid shut and he fell asleep.

* * *

AN: Okay you guys might kill me but I'm gonna post another additional chapter, because I'm in that sort of mood today XD Besides, I'm hopped up on Careese and Reese feels as I write something out. So don't mind me, I'm just be a puddle of Careese goo in the corner all by myself.


	10. Chapter 10

John sat outside of a bar and grille two nights later, lying in wait for Brandon Reed. John was glad he was given the outside patrol, because he got to see Reed first, and the moment he saw the son of a bitch that shot his wife, he was kneecapping him immediately. He had a vest on, Finch did as well, and everyone inside the bar and grille too. Shaw had arrived about the same time as he and Finch had, to get there before Reed ever showed his face. Some of Elias's men were setting up; Elias and Joss would be arriving shortly. Fusco was driving her here and would report if they saw anyone tailing them the moment he saw it.

"How is Simon?" Finch asked.

"He was happy to see his nana, but I'm sure she is dealing with a mopey boy by now," John admitted. "But then again nana has a knack for distracting him, especially since Taylor is coming in tonight and is heading to see his nana too, then taking Simon home with him to wait for us. I just hope Simon is still awake when we get home so he can see his momma."

"Is his girlfriend, Hayley, coming home too?"

"No, she wanted to stay at school to study, plus Taylor didn't really want her to," John admitted as he lifted his binoculars, making sure he had a nice full scan of the area surrounding the bar and grille named simply _E_. It wasn't much of a name to John, but it did well with the younger crowd. "Taylor wants to go Christmas shopping for his mother this weekend."

"So early?" Finch sounded surprised. It was near the end of the first week of November, and while he agreed that it was early to start Christmas shopping, he would not tell the boy no. Besides, John didn't remember the last time he got to celebrate Christmas so he was a little excited and didn't mind starting the season early, though he wasn't willing to let anyone in on that fact.

"I guess Joss is really difficult to purchase for and wants to get a head start. And judging by the fact that he didn't want his girlfriend around I guess he'll be shopping for Hayley as well."

He felt Finch's eyes on him. "Have you figured out what you are going to get Jocelyn, Mr. Reese?" John lowered the binoculars to eye him.

"I have thought about it. She's difficult to buy for but I already got something for her," he admitted. "She told me she didn't need a wedding band, that this marriage wasn't necessary to bind us together, that we were already bound to one another spiritually. And that this marriage was needed to adopt Simon, we were already married without the papers stating we were, so the wedding band wasn't necessary."

"Joss doesn't want a ring?"

"No, I offered to buy her a diamond ring and a wedding band, but she didn't seem so keen on that idea."

"What does this have to do with your present you got for her, John?" Finch asked.

"Well I got her this instead." John said as he rifled through his pants' pocket and pulled out the velvet box. He opened it for Finch. Finch stared at the beautiful three-row white gold ring that had one row of diamonds, one row of emerald stones, and one row of rubies. The ring glittered and sparkled with the amount of stones in it, it must have cost John a lot of money. "The diamonds are because Simon's birthday is in April, the rubies are for Taylor because his is in July, and I debated on choosing Joss's birthstone but decided she would be unhappy if I left myself off of her ring."

Finch smiled, he knew his wife so well. The emeralds and rubies surrounded the diamonds, the ring was breathtaking. "Jocelyn will love this ring more than a traditional wedding band," he agreed.

"Since I showed you the ring, will you do me a favor Finch, and keep it in your possession until around Christmas. Keeping small gifts for Joss is fine, but from the way Taylor speaks she's like a bloodhound and I'm sure she'll sniff out this ring before the holiday actually gets here." he admitted with a small smile.

Finch felt silly for being so sentimental over the fact that he was asking him to hold onto this ring for him to give to Joss, but Harold was. John's trust meant everything to him. "I'd be honored to hold onto your special gift for your wife."

"Thanks, Finch," he looked at his watch, missing the elder man's expression. "It's nearly showtime. I can't wait to get this son of a bitch so my boy and my wife are safe." 

* * *

Joss was reluctantly wearing her sling that Shaw mandated, she wasn't allowed to leave the safe house if she wasn't wearing it, and Shaw would probably break cover to bark at her if she saw her take it off. As Fusco drove them towards the bar and grille they had selected for their trap she felt edgy. She didn't like the idea of John being outside with Finch, out in the open, but she couldn't figure out one way of getting John to stay away. Simon was with her mother, being dropped off their early in the morning so they could set up, and then Taylor was going to pick him up and take him home.

Joss wasn't going to be able to relax until after this night was over and Brandon Reed was apprehended and everyone was safe.

"You ready, Carter?" Fusco questioned as they pulled up curbside near the restaurant but had a little walk before getting into E Bar and Grille. For one of Elias's fronts it got a healthy amount of traffic near it and was in an upscale area. But tonight the restaurant was shut down just for her and Elias's pretend meeting.

"You have no idea how ready I am," she said as she waited for Fusco to open the door for her.

"Me too, since then I won't have to open your door any longer," he agreed with a smirk. She smiled as he shut the door and they walked side by side. He touched his ear as did she. "Can everyone hear us?" he whispered.

"I can hear you loud and clear Lionel, unfortunately," Shaw grumbled. Joss and Fusco walked side by side towards the bar and grille when suddenly she cursed, looking down and trying to hide behind Fusco as a man rounded the corner.

"What is it, Carter, is it him?" Fusco whispered.

"No, Fusco it's not it's…." she started but it was too late.

"Jocelyn Carter?" Joss grimaced as she looked up and watched as Ian Murphy moved his way towards her with a smile on his face. She looked past him, then around her searching for Brandon Reed, hoping like hell he wasn't seeing or listening in on this.

She turned back to face Ian Murphy as he leaned in to hug her. "Oh," she whispered as he gathered her to him, holding her closer than she preferred, and she patted him on the back before she stepped back as he tried to linger. Fusco was looking around the restaurant and she forced a smile. She was about to make a hasty retreat when he spoke up.

"So I heard that you were reinstated as detective after you brought down HR, congratulations." Ian said sincerely as he grabbed her hand to bring it to his lips to kiss the back of it. She rolled her eyes, this guy tried real hard to be charming, plus he was cute, but she wasn't interested. Joss disentangled herself from him, hoping like hell Brandon Reed wasn't watching but more importantly she hoped like hell that her husband was not watching with the binoculars at this moment.

"_Who is touching my wife, Finch?_" John snarled in her earwig. Joss kept a smile pasted on her face, really wishing luck had been on her side, as she listened to Finch struggle to explain who Ian was.

"What happened, are you alright?" Ian asked as he motioned to her sling.

"Nothing, I'm fine, but uh-this isn't a really good time, Ian, I am working." she muttered quietly. She looked around again, didn't see anything, really hoping her cover hadn't been blown. Ian nodded his head.

"With that friend of yours…what was his name, Fisher?"

"Not really, um, really I need to go," she assured him, distracted. He nodded his head and handed her his business card.

"Call me, Joss; I'd like to take you to a real dinner some time." Joss forced herself to take it and not tell this guy she was married, since Jocelyn Rice wasn't. If Brandon Reed was lurking around and could see them but not hear them, then he might just think this was a guy hitting on her.

"Bye, Ian," she blurted out as she tugged Fusco with her, hurrying away and entering E. She prayed John would not kill Ian Murphy. "John, I'm sorry." she whispered while Fusco helped take her shawl from her.

"We'll talk later," he assured her, sounding rather possessive and more than a little jealous.

"Do you think that Ian guy blew your cover, Carter?" Fusco whispered as they made their way toward Carl Elias who was smiling appreciatively at her in her red dress.

"I really hope not, or there goes our chance at getting him," she whispered back as Fusco pulled out the chair for her and she pasted a false smile on her face as Elias leaned over to press a chaste kiss to her cheek.

"Thank you for agreeing to meet with me, Jocelyn Rice," he spoke with a wink and a flirty smile as he sat back down. "This is my associate, Anthony," he introduced, playing up the charade. Joss clenched her teeth together as she kept the careful smile on her face and she offered her hand which Marconi took, but instead of shaking it he kissed it. She heard John curse in her earwig.

"_Will men stop kissing my wife_!" he hissed.

"_Mr. Reese, it's just a kiss on the hand_."

"_I don't care, no man puts his lips anywhere on __**my**__ wife_." Joss muted them, not wanting to listen to John's jealous commentary. She would much prefer to be in John's company and she was going to show him that once she had him alone and all to herself.

"So Jocelyn, I had been hoping John would be in here so I could get to know him better. He avoids my calls, should I be offended, or does he play hard to get?" Elias spoke as they were handed menus. She wished to say what she was really wanted too, like 'stop calling my husband and trying to bring him into your organization,' but couldn't and this man knew it. If she didn't know any better she would say Elias had a man-crush on John.

"Don't even start," she said with a fake smile on her lips. Elias looked up and nodded.

"Alright, shall we get down to business then, Jocelyn?"

"Let's," she agreed. And for the better part of an hour they posed for Brandon Reed. Elias and she had talked about 'business' while Fusco and Marconi sat with them, just listening. They all ate dinner, shared champagne, and waited. Joss eyed her watch in irritation. Would Reed wait until their meeting was over? They were lingering, hoping Reed would burst in there, and they could take him down. But so far nothing was happening.

Joss reached up unmuting her husband. "This isn't working, guys," she whispered.

"We noticed, Joss, there hasn't been a single sighting of him," John answered. "I should know since I searched the perimeter."

"You did what?" she hissed, flicking a look from the men at the table, and John was so lucky she couldn't lecture him right now!

"I guess finish up the meeting, maybe he's waiting until you guys are about to leave," John suggested. She nodded her head, deciding that was the only real option they had. She just wished Brandon Reed would make his move. 

* * *

She was a detective? Brandon had followed her to E Bar and Grille for her meet and greet with Carl Elias, a known mobster, and was going to finally purge the world of her, and take out Elias as well in the process. But had stopped from coming out from hiding in the shadows when that man she ran into called her Jocelyn Carter, not Jocelyn Rice. He had backed away, left to go to do some research on this Jocelyn Carter he spoke of and was stunned to realize it was true. This woman was a detective posing as Jocelyn Rice, but what did that mean? Gabby had chosen her. What was he supposed to do?

So he had gone home, maybe his only chance to purge the world that filth was gone. But he needed Gabby's guidance. He ran to the framed photo of her.

"Gabby, I don't know what to do. What am I supposed to? She's a cop, she's lying, she's not who she says she is! Everything is a lie. Please Gabby tell me what to do," he prayed as he shut his eyes, frantic for answers from his beloved. It was her work he was enacting. He needed her to tell him what he was supposed to do.

_She's living a double life, Brandon, stay the course. Watch Jocelyn Carter for she is still Jocelyn Rice. Make her pay, she's a cop sworn to uphold the law and yet she is choosing to be like the filth we are trying to eradicate. She's the worst one._

He nodded his head, a smile tugging his lips up, and tears burned his cheeks. "Oh Gabby, you are right, you are always right. Never leave me, please." He whimpered, and nearly sobbed when her voice didn't answer back.

After a few minutes of composing himself, he opened his eyes. "She's the worst one," he repeated to the silent apartment. 

* * *

John and Joss with their friends sat together in John's car. "I don't get it, why didn't he show up?" Joss wondered as she sat between Fusco and Shaw in the backseat. "There was no way he could see the trap, we were careful."

Finch pinched the bridge of his nose. "There was no guarantee that Mr. Reed was going to show up. Elias and I had prepared for this, we made arrangements for two 'meetings' here, the next one is in a few days in hopes that Mr. Reed would show up for that one."

"Oh joy, we get to do this again." Joss groused, very annoyed at the moment. John agreed, he wanted this done and over with. He wanted his wife home with him, but most of all he wanted his wife and son safe. "Wait, that means I can't go home with John and be with my boys." Joss now sounded really irritable.

"I'll say it; this bites. I was hoping to get to shoot some kneecaps and other body parts since he can't feel a damn thing," Shaw commented before opening the door to climb out. "Coming Harold?—I'll drive you back to the library." Finch nodded before opening his car door to go with Shaw.

Fusco was the next one to leave. "I guess I'll go warm up ours," he said as he climbed out. Once he shut the door, it just left her and John. She climbed out of the car to move to the passenger seat and climbed back in.

"Joss," he sighed as she leaned over and kissed him, wanting to have done that for the better part of a week. His lips eagerly kissed her back, Joss wanted to climb onto him, and just take what she wanted. She missed her husband so much, but after briefing kissing, John pushed back reluctantly. "Be careful," he admonished.

"I don't want to go," she whispered. "Ask me to blow my cover and I will."

"Joss, we can't do that."

"I know," her shoulders slumped. "I just miss you, our little munchkin, and Taylor. I miss being at home, I miss my life, and I just want this over with."

He leaned back to cup her cheek, so he could gaze into her lovely eyes. "You'll be home soon enough, annoyed with us men," he teased gently, trying to cheer her up.

She smiled. "Try to get some sleep, John; hug and kiss our boys for me." He nodded his head, she leaned forward taking his lips with hers tenderly before pushing back. She forced herself to open the car door, climbed out, and walk away from her husband. It was only for a few more days hopefully; she could handle it, and it wasn't like she was never going to see this man again. 

* * *

AN: Brandon Reed is a slippery one, and let's just say it's not a good thing that he knows who Joss really is. But the little teaser for next chapter is that Joss's REAL social security number comes up :D

Thanks for reading!


	11. Chapter 11

Joss was irritable as she sat in the backseat with Fusco in the driver's seat. She was still posing as Jocelyn Rice even though last night this should have ended if Brandon Reed would have just shown up. So today she was following the itinerary that Finch set up for Jocelyn Rice, but making sure there weren't many innocent people around. She had foregone the sling, tired of wearing the stupid thing, and to hell with Shaw's orders. Her deltoid still hurt but it felt better.

"So wonder-boy solved our case for us effectively, eh?" Fusco commented. He was still amused over that fact.

"Yeah."

"Well, I miss working as a detective because being a chauffeur is not all that it's cracked up to be," Fusco commented, sounding suspiciously close to whining.

Joss agreed however. "Try being a stuck up, rich bitch," she said with a long sigh. "This undercover gig stinks, I can't see my boys and I'm stuck with you all day and night…no offense Fusco."

"None taken, it's nice seeing you at work and outside of work, but seeing you day and night is getting old real fast, Carter, you are so bossy," Fusco said.

"I'm not bossy."

Fusco snorted with laughter. "Carter, you're bossy, I wonder how wonder-boy can even breathe at your place unless he enjoys being told what to do. You told me to not wear just my robe around the safe-house, then there is the choice of shows that we disagree about watching, and you are very stern about what I eat. You basically force fed me vegetables Carter!"

"First off, Fusco you need to eat more vegetables and I did not force feed you them. You liked the smoothie I made you. Secondly, there was just no way in hell you were going to walk around in just your robe with nothing underneath," she clarified. "And lastly, I didn't bitch you out about watching that horrendous movie. I merely told you the plot of the movie because it's just like any other action flick and said it was stupid, but if you wanted to watch something stupid than it was up to you. I just meant that John and I usually watch the military channel after our baby boy is in bed and they have interesting documentaries."

"That's because you two probably get turned on over gun powder."

Joss rolled her eyes, nine out of ten times they would turn the TV off and make out, then go up to their room and make love. But she wasn't telling him that. She and John didn't get turned on by the shows, they got turned on as they snuggled on the couch, and their hands would have minds of their own.

The passenger door opened suddenly and Shaw climbed into her car. "Where the hell did you come from?" Carter demanded and the woman just smirked before growing serious.

"Your number is up and your hubby is otherwise detained, so I figured I'd sit with you," Shaw offered quietly.

"I already know Jocelyn Rice's number is up, Fusco and I are fine."

Shaw shook her head. "No I meant yours, Carter."

"Wait, my real one?" she asked in shock and Shaw nodded her head 'yes.' Fusco shifted a concerned gaze onto her before eyeing Shaw.

"Finch called John because Reese nearly had a heart attack the last time your number came up and wasn't told, but he didn't answer the phone."

Joss grimaced. "That's my fault actually, but John's with Simon and Taylor for the day. I think they are going Christmas shopping for me, trying to keep it on the DL," she admitted, finally realizing the secret that John was keeping for Taylor. "He might think it was me calling him which is why he didn't answer his phone."

"Why is he screening your calls, Carter?"

"Because I've been badgering him," she admitted, ducking her head.

Fusco half laughed. "Badgering isn't the term, Carter, you called him like thirty times since we got out on the road."

She shrugged. "In my defense I was worried my son was going to tell John he was done with college until I realized I heard them in a department store. And since then I have left them alone realizing it was really about trying to get me Christmas gifts early. I have a bad habit of figuring out what my kid is going to get me for a present, so I think he conned my husband into taking him early this year, so he could hide it from me."

Shaw nodded her head. "Makes sense as to why he won't pick up, being called that many times even by you, Carter, would be annoying."

"Thanks, Shaw," she said, making a face.

"Any cases you are working that might have gotten you into any sort of trouble?"

"No, because Fusco and I have been working the Reed case. There was the priority case that you and John finished for us, but otherwise nothing comes to mind."

"Stepped on any toes at work that took weeks for this dickhead to plan?"

"No."

"Piss anyone off recently, anyone that you can think of?" Shaw demanded.

"No, no one, not as myself, the only one that comes to mind is Brandon Reed but I was in my alias."

"Did you have a run in with any woman that could be a secret government agent?"

"No, no psycho for the government dropped coffee on me. And no one burned down my house, and Stanton is dead so it's not her. Of course, there's you…."

"Are you positive that you blew that bitch into tiny little pieces?"

"Yes, I'm sure, they found several charred remains of Stanton, there was no way she survived the blast."

Shaw nodded. "Anyone from your past that hates your guts enough to want to kill you, Carter?"

"No, Shaw, no one. People love me," Joss assured her and Shaw smirked at her. "Well okay, maybe not love me, but tolerate me."

"How about Quinn?" Fusco piped up.

"Quinn is in jail without any power, HR is dead in the water without any way of being resuscitated," Joss said. "I have no idea who would want me dead," she admitted and that was the frightening part.

Shaw nodded and sighed. "Then this is a problem."

"What do you mean?"

"If it's no one you can think of that is after you, then that means they are after you because of your husband. And we all know how Reese reacts when his wife is caught up in his mess of a past," Shaw stated and Joss's eyes widened. She was right, John wasn't going to react well to learning her real number came up, but if her number coming up was because of him it was going to make it doubly worse.

Joss immediately dialed John's number, and prayed he would answer it. 

* * *

John sighed as he felt his phone buzz yet again. Damn it, Joss, she had been calling him since he made the accidental text of revealing that Taylor, Simon, and him were going out together. She had grown suspicious of their intentions, and had called him numerous times which he tried to deflect, but decided against answering the rest. Taylor, him, and Simon had gone out early in the morning to go shopping for Joss. He had no idea it would become such an ordeal to buy something for her. Taylor wanted the perfect gift. No wonder why the kid decided to go out this early before the holiday, the way he was going through stores it would take till Christmas to find something he wanted to buy his mother.

They spent hours at several shops that made him want to jab daggers into his eyes, Taylor had joked about his look of boredom, but continued to rifle through a ton of stuff. He had gone through all the ideas of candles, spa treatments, clothing, jewelry, anything and everything he had looked at for his mother. The kid had found several different small things for his mom, like perfume that she enjoyed but was undecided on the main item. It was between the spa day or this $100 cashmere sweater that would look amazing on Joss. So they had decided to move onto Simon's gift while Taylor decided.

John, Taylor, and Simon had gone to a craft store and found a Crayola thing that would allow Simon to create any color crayon he wanted. They also picked up a bunch of TMNT stickers, glue, construction paper, and other little things so Simon could create a handmade Christmas card to go along with the plaster molding kit to create a plaster heart with Simon's tiny hand imprinted on it. Taylor suggested that he should purchase the bigger kit to engrave Simon's name in it too, to make his mom a puddle of teary-eyed goo on Christmas morning since his mom was sentimental over things like this. Simon's little curious mind had wondered what Cwissmiss was so John and Taylor had to field question after question about Christmas; the lights, music, the tree they would decorate, and then who Santa was. And once Simon knew who Santa was and what Santa brought….he wanted Christmas now.

After they finished paying for the new toys from the toy store that Simon had convinced him to go into, Taylor announced he was finally settling on the cashmere sweater because his mom would love it.

Which brought him back to where he was currently, in line beside Taylor waiting to pay for said sweater. "So what are you getting Hayley?" John asked quietly, as he held Simon in his one arm, while he carried the bag of toys and craft supplies for Joss's present in the other. Simon was yawning and laying his head on his shoulder. Poor boy, his nap had come and gone. Taylor gave him a sidelong gaze.

"Promise you won't tell my mom,"

"You have my word, Taylor." He said with a smile. Taylor grinned back, sliding the sweater onto his forearm as he reached into his back jeans pocket. He pulled out a small velvet box and John's eyes widened. Oh no!

Please let it be earrings, please let it be earrings, John silently prayed. Taylor's smile never slid from his face as he opened the velvet box. John exhaled. "Mr. Badass your reaction is hilarious, which means my mom will react the same way when I show her. But it's not an engagement ring, it's a promise ring. Neither one of us is ready to get married just yet, but I wanted to get her something special." He was glad because then he didn't want a freaking out mother on his hands.

"You did good, Taylor." He admitted eyeing the ring. It was beautiful, dainty, and perfect for Hayley. Hayley was a small girl, very petite.

"You think Hayley will like it?"

"Hayley will love it because it's from you, Taylor," he assured the young man with a knock on the shoulder. Taylor smiled as he bumped his shoulder back before they were called up as next. After Taylor paid for his mother's gift, and it was gift wrapped for him, they finally got to exit the pricey department store.

"The good thing about being away at college means my mom won't be able to sniff out this gift, which means I might be finally able to surprise her," Taylor said with a large smile. Simon was nearly sound asleep as they walked towards his car, when his phone buzzed again in his pocket. He would have to call her back later, he had a snoozing toddler in one arm and bags upon bags in the other. Taylor took his keys, popping the trunk, and helped pile the bags of purchases into the empty trunk. Or what appeared to be an empty trunk as he had hidden his guns away. Taylor just slammed it shut when John heard a click of a gun, and a definite barrel of a gun was dug into his back.

John froze, Taylor looked panicked as whoever was holding him at gunpoint, removed John's gun from the back of his pants. "Look, take our wallets, the car, whatever just leave us be," Taylor spoke up, sounding scared but trying to appear calm.

"No sudden moves, throw your phones on the ground both of you, and then give your son to Taylor." John did as he was told, noting this man knew who Taylor was. He slowly pulled his cell phone out seeing the numerous missed calls throwing it onto the ground with Taylor's before shifting Simon into Taylor's arms. "Now climb into the car, so no one is the wiser." The man behind him spoke calmly. John nodded to Taylor who climbed into the back seat of the car. "Don't even think about it," the man dug the barrel harshly into the small of his back. John had been tensing to whirl around to disarm whoever was holding him at gunpoint. "You're the husband to Jocelyn, now it makes sense why you are always in my way of doing my work." The man hissed. And John knew who was behind him.

"Brandon Reed, it's nice of you to finally show your face. So I'm guessing you know Joss isn't who she says she is."

"She's a fucking cop'" he growled. "Turn around slowly," he demanded. John did as requested, keeping his arms down, and the gun was pointed to his stomach. He came face to face with Brandon Reed. He prayed like hell that he had no idea who Simon really was.

"Yeah, she is. She has nothing to do with this, nor do they." He motioned to Taylor and Simon in the back of the car. "Let em' go."

He shook his head. "I can't because she is the worst one. Jocelyn Carter is sworn to uphold the law and she is living a double life. One to abolish all the bad she has done as Jocelyn Rice."

John thinned his lips. "Jocelyn Rice was a fake, she's not living a double life, it was just a ploy to lure you out."

"No, no, Gabby told me she was living a double life, and Gabby doesn't lie to me. But you would to protect your wife, to protect her spawn of a child, and to protect your own. You shouldn't have butted into my affairs, now climb into the car or I'll shoot them." Brandon motioned to Taylor and Simon.

"I'll go with you anywhere you want, but you leave them alone," he stated as he pointed to Taylor and Simon.

"I can't do that, you and your family are needed to bring your wife out into the open," he said, never taking his eyes off of him. John couldn't take the risk if he attacked this man that he might shoot Taylor or Simon. "Now get in and drive." John reluctantly moved to the driver's door, opening it, and climbed in as Brandon Reed climbed into the passenger seat. Taylor was quiet and cuddling Simon close, covering the majority of the toddler's body with his own to protect him as he softly dozed. John pulled the car away from the curb, hoping like hell Finch had the GPS tracker on that he placed in his watch, that he wasn't supposed to know was there. 

* * *

AN: Here's another 2 for 1 because of one specific reason :) Thanks for reading!


	12. Chapter 12

"Where are we?" John demanded. He had driven to god knows where, following Reed's instruction while contemplating how he was going to get Taylor and Simon away from this psycho. But all thought of attacking the man to allow the boys time to run fled when Brandon Reed had picked up Simon, effectively forcing John to be docile. John's blood ran cold as he held his son precariously, Simon was crying for him.

"One of my properties my father owned, it's in limbo right now, as they figure out what to do with all the properties that he owned. They most likely will fall into my hands once probate is all done. Not that I care one bit, but this place will serve useful."

Brandon Reed forced them down to the basement of what looked like a vacation home. "You know this won't work, luring my wife here not with our boys in jeopardy. If you let Taylor and Simon go she'll come here." John tried again. He needed to get Taylor and Simon away from this man, then he could beat the hell out of this guy.

"Your wife needs to be cleansed, just as all of those before her, just as Clara and Declan Reed had needed."

"Just let Taylor and Simon go," John repeated.

"No, the best bet to lure that bitch here is using her biological son. And I know just how." John knew it a split second before he lifted the gun up that he was going to shoot Taylor. John heard the pop of the gun going off as he lurched towards Taylor, shoving the boy hard out of the way, feeling a wave of pain explode from his side. Simon let out terrified screams at the sound of the gun, and Brandon flung the boy onto the cold ground. Simon landed on his butt, sobbing, and Taylor yanked Simon to him. Taylor hid Simon's face into his chest, refusing to let the boy lift it up to see John's wound. Taylor huddled beside him, while he laid on the cold basement floor grasping his side. "I guess you'll do since you just proved to me that you and Jocelyn's love is more like Gabby and I than Declan and my step-mother," he said as he took a photo of them, before he turned, shut the door to the basement and locked it.

John groaned lightly, looking up. "Taylor," he forced through clenched teeth, realizing the teenager was crying. "Taylor," he said again, this time getting the boy to lift his head from Simon's hair. "Calm down, it'll be okay," he whispered hoarsely.

"You were just shot for me," Taylor whispered roughly.

"Please, Taylor, this is unfair of me to ask you, but I need you to calm down. Simon is already scared, he needs you to not be. Take deep, slow breaths, and exhale them through your nose. That's right, good, keep doing it as you feel yourself calming down," John said and Joss's son listened. He swallowed hard, blinked rapidly and the tears fled. Simon still cried and screamed. John struggled to sit up, buttoning his suit blazer to hide the gunshot wound. "Simon," he tried.

Taylor looked down. "Hey little brother, daddy, you, and I are all okay." Taylor whispered as he let Simon lift his head from his chest. Simon reached for John immediately.

"Daddy," he cried.

"Baby, T wants to hold you, okay." John hid a wince.

Taylor took his cue. "Yeah, Simon, I want to hold my little brother."

"O—K," he hiccuped while he still cried.

John was satisfied when the boy's shaking subsided. He was scared by the sound of the gun going off, but thankfully hiding his gunshot wound was working, because Simon's tears dried up. He slowly began falling back to sleep, the excitement getting the better of him. He waited a few more minutes until his son's eyes remained shut, to open his jacket and touched his wound to his side.

"It's bad, John," Taylor whispered unevenly and the tears that the boy swallowed were now swimming in his eyes due to not having to put on a strong front for Simon.

John reached out, touching Taylor's cheek. "If it was you, you would have taken it in the chest, Taylor," he stated, not sugar-coating it. "I rather it be me with a gut shot, then you lying on this floor dead." John looked away as the boy cried. "Taylor we need a plan, I need you to be calm when it comes time for it."

"I will, I just need a minute."

John nodded knowing he was asking a lot of the eighteen year old. When the boy calmed down a bit, he knew what he was going to ask was going to upset him again. "Your mother, Shaw, and Lionel are probably on their way."

"How do you know that?"

"I'm assuming Brandon Reed took that photo of us to use it to lure your mother here. Your mother is smart, she won't come without backup," he said. "I need your help."

"Anything, John, I'll help hold pressure to your wound, you should really hold pressure to your wound too," Taylor said.

He shook his head the boy wasn't getting it. "I need your help at getting up."

Taylor shook his head no. "You shouldn't do that, you are losing too much blood," Taylor refused as he looked down to make sure Simon was still asleep in his arms.

"I know I'm losing blood, Taylor, but if I'm going to distract him long enough for you and Simon to make a run for it, I need help to get up."

"No, I'm not leaving you here."

"Taylor, I'm about out of strength here, I need your help to stand up. You are going to help me walk over there," John paused to point to the area behind the door, "where you'll hide beside me with Simon. When I have Brandon Reed distracted you run and don't look back."

"I can't leave you here to die, John," Taylor said, feeling tears welling up in his eyes.

"Taylor, I need you to do as I say because if you don't we all die. I won't let that happen. I need you to promise me that you'll run to protect you and your brother."

"I promise," he whispered brokenly. He patted Taylor's cheek affectionately, rubbing the tears that streamed down his face away.

"I love you, kid."

"I love you too, John."

"And if I don't make it back, tell your mother and tell Simon for me that I love them with all of my heart." Taylor cried silently as he nodded his head. "Taylor, when you are running and if Simon is awake, tell him to play peek-a-boo, I taught him a strange version," John admitted with a hollow laugh.

Taylor half laughed half cried. "How do you play it?"

"He'll know, just don't say boo until you are ready for him to pop his head out from your chest. When you get out of here, take my car, I noticed Reed didn't lock it up, there is a spare key and burner phone in the glove compartment. Drive as fast away from here and call your mother immediately."

"What if he locked it since we have been down here?"

"Run on foot, find any establishment and hide with surrounding people. Ask to use a phone, tell them it's an emergency, that you and your little brother were kidnapped." Taylor nodded his head. "Help me stand up, Taylor."

Taylor drew in a big breath before exhaling it as he curled Simon into him, got to his feet then wrapped his free hand around John's elbow. John tried helping, feeling extremely weak, Taylor looked pale as he saw the blood on the floor. But Taylor refocused on him, helping him up and John paused leaning heavily against the wall for support. Taylor let him drape an arm around his shoulders to help him stagger behind the door. Simon was still resting in Taylor's arms peacefully, thankfully. Once they were position, John leaned against the wall, holding tightly to the wound with Taylor beside him with Simon in his arms.

"Remember the plan Taylor?"

"Yes," he agreed quietly.

"Good, now we wait for Reed to show himself again." John prayed he would show himself before he was too faint to buy Taylor enough time to make a run for it. 

* * *

"I played by the rules," Joss whispered. Her blood had run cold the moment she opened the photo she was sent. John was on the ground with a gut shot, her son was holding her other son in his arms both were petrified. She never in her life felt so helpless, she was supposed to be the target but that psycho, Brandon Reed, had abducted her family because he figured out the truth that Jocelyn Rice was nothing more than a lie. He must be the reason why her number came up, he was going to kill her because he knew the truth.

Fusco was driving. When she alerted Finch about the photo she was sent, Finch had been using the GPS tracker that was installed in John's wristwatch to track him. Her family had been taken to the burbs. It was in the middle of nowhere with a lot of tree-lined roads and taking forever to get to.

"Turn left at the next street," Finch commanded via the earwig, he was on his way, driving to catch up and was about ten minutes behind them.

"How much further Finch?" Joss demanded.

"Approximately another half hour Jocelyn," he admitted while she beat the seat beside her in frustration.

"We'll get to your family," Shaw stated as she turned to look back at her in the backseat.

"He used our boys as a way to make John do as he said; John would have put a bullet in him had our boys not been in trouble," Joss whispered. This was her fault. The only way Reed could have figured out her true identity was her fucking it up somewhere, and the only place she could figure it to be was when Ian stopped her. Had she just told him to go shove off, none of this would be happening. Her husband wouldn't be shot, her boys wouldn't be looking petrified, and this would all be over..

"I'm killing him," Shaw whispered.

"We take him alive, Shaw," Joss countered.

Shaw looked ready to argue but sighed. "Fine, we'll do it your way, Carter. Now speed the fuck up, Fusco." Fusco stepped on the gas pedal harder. 

* * *

John had no idea how long it was since Taylor helped him stagger over to the position behind the door, but it felt like an eternity. Unfortunately Simon had only taken a cat-nap because he was up and babbling about wanting to watch his TMNT. Taylor did his level best at distracting the toddler away from his injured dad and the frightening situation, but the boy was growing restless being stuck in Taylor's arms.

"Hey Simon, Taylor wants to play a game with you," John whispered. Taylor eyed John who was extremely pale, even his lips were white. He was losing too much blood.

The boy swiveled his head to daddy's way. "Pway?" he repeated and then looked at Taylor.

"Yeah, I want to play peek-a-boo."

"You remember how to play,right, Simon?" John asked. And the boy nodded his head enthusiastically. He leaned his head into Taylor's chest, humming. Taylor smiled, realizing that at some point when John taught Simon this game it must have been during a time he didn't want the boy eyeing something. They both stiffened when they heard creaking footsteps on the steps. "Ready, Taylor?"

No, but he knew that John needed his reassurance. "Yes," he lied.

John gave Taylor and Simon one last look, before focusing on the door as it opened, and Brandon Reed appeared. John lunged forward, crashing his shoulder into the man's stomach, his momentum sending them to the floor. John heard running footsteps, grateful that Taylor did as he told, because Brandon Reed was a lot harder to fight with a bullet wound, and having bled for the better part of ten minutes. He was trained in hand to hand combat just as much as John was, but John was fighting just for enough time to give Taylor a head start. Brandon rolled him over, but John forced them back over, and had the man pinned beneath him. Brandon Reed might not feel but he still needed to breathe, so he tried to apply pressure to the man's windpipe to knock him out cold, when he felt another wave of pain erupt, as Brandon Reed swiftly aimed an elbow to his wound.

John saw black, but refused to stop fighting. John slammed his fist into Brandon Reed's face over and over again, feeling pain in his knuckles, but the man just smiled, and John gasped as he heard the pop, his body jerked as he felt another explosion in his body. Brandon Reed pushed him off of him, without a fight from him, and John laid on the ground holding his new wound in his stomach watching helplessly as the man got to his feet to run after Taylor and Simon. He just prayed he had given Taylor enough time to get away. 

* * *

Taylor ran to John's car, thanking god the door was unlocked. He kept Simon in his arms as he reached over for the glove compartment, and he calmly pulled out the car key and phone there. He stabbed the key into the ignition, before sliding the gearshift into reverse, and turned his head to see what he was doing. Once back, he slammed the car into drive, and squealed the tires getting away. "Boo," he said and Simon eagerly lifted his head.

"Daddy where is you?" Simon called out looking for John. It was nearly enough to crack through Taylor's flimsy attempt at bravado. Because he'd love nothing more than to cry and go back to make sure John was alright. But he couldn't, he had promised to leave and protect Simon.

"Daddy needed to do something, Simon." He said while he dialed his mom's number, while trying to hold onto the toddler and drive at eighty miles per hour. He put the phone to his ears as he drove; it rang a few times before she finally answered.

"MOM!" it came out strangled and a near sob. John would be pissed at him because immediately Simon began crying, but he was running out of bravado.

"Oh my god! Taylor, are you, Simon, and John alright?" she demanded.

"Simon and I are, but John…." Taylor stopped to swallow the lump that formed away.

"Baby, take deep breaths and talk to me. Are you or Simon hurt?"

"No, that psycho was going to shoot me, but John pushed me out of the way," he said as the road began blurring in front of him. He blinked rapidly to force the film of tears away so he could see where he was driving. He heard horns honking as he took a curve at a high speed..

"Where's John?"

"I had to leave him behind, he made me promise, mom."

"Okay, baby, I need you to take deep breaths again and tell me where you are so we can come get you."

"John told me to take his car and drive as fast as I could away from where we were being held and to call you."

"Good, we are on our way to John's coordinates. Where are you? We'll come get you."

"No, you have to get to John, he's unarmed, injured, and alone."

"We will I promise, I'm going for John, but where are you?" She demanded again and Taylor watched a street he just passed by.

"I'm on some main road and just passed some road called Benson, going south."

Taylor continued driving, while he heard his mom talking to her friends. "Okay, that's approximately ten minutes from where we are. We are going to stay on the phone until we meet okay, you are doing real good, baby. How's Simon?"

"He's crying, he knows I'm upset. I'm sorry I'm not cut out for this, mom."

"You're doing fine, baby."

"I am not going to be a cop," he admitted.

"That's fine, I don't care whatever makes you happy. You are going to get married to Hayley, do what you love to do, and give me grandchildren in the very distant future," his mom said, earning a laugh out of him. His mom kept him on the phone talking and he nearly sobbed in relief when he saw her hanging out of the backseat window waving him over. He pulled John's car over onto the shoulder, slammed it into park, and climbed out of the car unsteady. She ran to him and hugged him.

"Oh thank god you are alright," she kissed his cheek, kissed Simon, but refused to take him into her arms. She turned to look at Fusco. "Fusco, stay with Taylor and Simon; when Finch gets here, hitch a ride with him. Shaw and I are going to go stop Reed and go save my husband."

"Hurry, mom, John was losing a lot of blood," Taylor said. She nodded before turning to run for the car, while Fusco hurried to huddle them back into John's car while they waited for Finch. "Go, go, go!" Joss commanded Shaw who hopped into the driver's seat and she peeled away without any further insistence. 

* * *

AN:*peeks out* So before you guys kill me for a cliffhanger this is why I double posted that way it's only like a 3 day wait instead of a 4 day wait!

Thanks for reading :)


	13. Chapter 13

"Gabby, what am I to do?" he questioned panicked, needing her guidance as he ran up the stairs, out of the house, finding the car and the two kids gone. Should he go after the kids, wait for Jocelyn to arrive and purge the world of her, or should he go because she would suffer like him to live without the one she loved? She would feel his pain, she would understand the agony of living without the one that connects you to the world. Would that be punishment enough to live a world without the man she loved, like Atwater had to live in prison for the rest of his miserable life?

_"Go, Brandon, forget about Jocelyn, she will feel our pain of losing one another once she finds her husband dead. There are others that need to be cured of their filthy ways_."

"You're right, you're always right, she will have to live with our pain for the rest of her miserable life. She'll get to know the pain of losing the person that makes you want to live," he agreed as he ran into the woods. "Tell me who's next, tell me where to go, my love. Please continue talking to me, I need you," he begged as his mind thought of his list.

_"I have chosen_."

Brandon ran through the woods. "Who, who is next to be cleansed?" Please be that Xavier Mendall man he was nearly as bad as Jocelyn Carter!

_"Xavier Mendall is next_."

Brandon smiled as he continued to run away.

* * *

Joss hung up the phone when Fusco called her to let her know that Finch had arrived and had her boys safely in the backseat. She asked for him to call 911 and have them meet her up at John's coordinates that she gave him. "Drive faster, Shaw." She commanded. Her eyes searching the woods, searching for Reed just in case, but she didn't know what to do. Stop Reed from escaping or go to her husband?

"I'm going fast, Carter, we'll get to him."

"I feel like I'm losing him." She swallowed her panic, needing to remain calm and professional as John's life hinged on that. Her eyes scanned the woods, not seeing any sort of movement since the woods were thick in this area. Brandon Reed had to be on foot as Taylor had taken John's car, assuming he left where John was. Shaw took a turn quickly, sending them both sliding a little in their seats.

A clearing formed in the distance and she saw an old house that looked to have been built in the 50s or so. It was white, with paint chipping, and looked to be three stories. Joss tugged her gun out, checking to make sure she had a full clip. "You see Reed, take a headshot."

"No problem there," Shaw commented dryly, pulling up in front of the house. They climbed out of the car hurriedly. "Fresh tire tracks, this is the place," Shaw said as they ran to the front porch.

"These are Finch's coordinates of where John's tracker in his watch. He's somewhere in here." Joss said. But they had to air on the side of caution because they had no idea where Brandon Reed was exactly, even though she just wanted to rush in there and find her husband. Joss stood on the right side, while Shaw remained on the left of the door. "On my count, Shaw."

Shaw nodded. Joss held up her left hand holding up three fingers, then two, and then she pushed away from the home to kick the door in. Shaw entered first, aiming her weapon, then nodded for her to enter when the coast was clear. Joss and Shaw systematically and quickly checked the main floor for Reed. He wasn't there and neither was John. "REESE!" Shaw shouted.

"JOHN, WHERE ARE YOU!" Joss was trying to not grow upset when John didn't respond.

Shaw motioned to the stairs leading up. "I'll take upstairs, you take downstairs."

"Be careful, Reed can be hiding in here somewhere," Joss cautioned as they split apart going in search for John. Shaw took the steps up two at a time while shouting John's name. She searched the place for the stairs that led to the basement. She finally found it after opening two random doors, wasting precious time.

"John," she shouted as she took the wooden steps quickly, heard them groan and squeak under her weight. She found a door that was left slightly ajar, so she drew her gun, scared that Reed was down here and kicked the door open. She was paralyzed in horror as she eyed John. "JOHN!" she screamed resisting running to him as she looked behind the door to make sure Reed wasn't around. When she realized it was just John, she ran to him as he was lying on his back on the cold floor. She fell to her knees, putting her gun down, and grabbed his face. He felt so cold.

"John, can you hear me?!" She eyed his prone body, forcing down the panic that threatened to bubble up inside her, keeping her professionalism in place; she could fall apart later. She was not going to lose her husband in this cold fucking basement. "Oh god, baby what did he do to you?" His entire front of his shirt was covered in blood she leaned over him, and waited for his breath. "You're not breathing,"

She sat back and began doing CPR on her husband. She counted, before she tilted his chin up, closed his nose with her fingers, and breathed into him. Waited a second, before giving him another breath, looking for a sign he was breathing on his own again. When she didn't get it she went back to doing the chest compressions. "Come on baby, breathe," she begged as she heard rumbling footsteps down the stairs.

"Fuck!" Shaw shouted as she was beside her, taking over on the chest compressions, while she tried to get John breathing again. They could hear the sirens off in the distance. "Ambulance is nearly here, Finch and Fusco are following them. They are minutes out," Shaw spoke calmly as she continued chest compressions.

Joss didn't bother to respond, her only need was to get John breathing again. She nearly sobbed in relief when they got him back but barely it was so faint. Shaw didn't let up on the chest compressions keeping what little blood John had left in him, flowing. They remained that way all the way up until the paramedics arrived and then were pushed aside. She knew it was bad with the way the paramedics rushed, sounding urgent, and within a matter of seconds her husband was lifted on a stretcher. They left her behind, adamant that she had to be driven separate in a car, that she couldn't ride along with them and her husband. They were gone in a blur.

She felt numb because mere minutes passed since she was doing CPR on her husband to when the paramedics took over and whisked her husband away. Finch rushed down the stairs as fast as his limp would permit. "They are speeding away as we speak." She knew that as she could hear the sirens sounding and growing softer. "Taylor hid Simon's face so he didn't see John being put in the back of the ambulance. I'll drive you, Jocelyn." Finch whispered as he bent near her, touching her shoulder gently as she eyed the blood on the basement floor.

She shook her head mutely. "Can't, Finch; John's blood is on me and I won't scare Simon or Taylor," she whispered, staring at the blood nearly unblinkingly.

"I'll take her," Shaw assured. "You get to the hospital with the boys, we'll be right behind you, Finch." Finch nodded his head, looking pale and panicky, but turned without a word and hurried away.

"I'll talk to the officers, take her," Fusco murmured as they slowly helped her to her feet, but she was having a hard time as her eyes were still on John's blood.

"Come on Joss, I'm taking you home where you're going to clean up and change before we go to the hospital," Shaw said, tugging at her.

"No, take me to the hospital I have to go, my husband…" she started. She needed to go to the hospital and be there for John, he needed her.

"Reese is going to have Finch and your boys, he's going to be in emergency surgery, he won't even know you aren't there. Carter, you need to be cleaned up and get changed; as you said you have John's blood on you and you don't want to scare your sons do you?" Joss nodded her head, intellectually she knew that Shaw was right, but she wanted to be there for her husband. "So we are going to head back to your place where you are going to wash up, change your clothes because we both know that once you get to the hospital it will take an army to get you to leave," Shaw whispered gruffly. She didn't even have it in her to fight.

Joss didn't even know how she got up the stairs, didn't even remember climbing into the car. But she was in it and Shaw turned the car around, weaving through the numerous squad cars that were there. Fusco was outside speaking with several officers. Joss was glad to see Finch had taken her boys and was heading to the hospital where they were taking John. Everything else was a blur, it taken nearly forty-five minutes to arrive at her home. Shaw entered the ten digit code, while keeping a firm hand on her elbow.

They entered and Shaw led her up the stairs, to the master bedroom where she sat her down on the bed. Shaw immediately entered the bathroom that was an en-suite and began running the shower. Joss began shaking as she took her clothes off, nearly sobbing as she eyed the blood on the clothes. John's blood and there was so much of it on the floor of that basement. Shaw appeared and Joss didn't even care that she was naked in front of her. Shaw merely led her to the bathroom, helped her into the shower. "Shaw."

"Yeah, Carter?"

"Burn those clothes," she whispered. Shaw nodded her head before closing the bathroom door to let her shower in private; Joss stood under the warm spray and cried.

* * *

Shaw was going to kill Brandon Reed. She had left a change of clothes at their place for herself the other day, glad she had as she had Reese's blood on her too. Joss looked a little better since showering and changing, but the woman looked pale. She was obviously scared for Reese's life. Reese looked horrible, there was more blood out of him than in him, and she just hoped like hell that they had gotten to him in time. The hospital where Reese was taken was a good half hour away from Carter's home as it was the closest trauma center to where Reese was gunned down.

They needed to figure out where the hell Reed went.

Shaw barely turned into the hospital's parking lot before Carter was already opening the passenger door and was climbing out while the car still moved. Shaw slammed on the brakes to let the woman out near the door, before heading to go park.

Joss rushed into the hospital, running to the clerk and gave her husband's name that she was sure that he was brought in under. The woman looked through her little computer, irritably taking forever as Shaw was entering and hurrying up to her.

"He's in the O.R. right now, the waiting room is right down this way," the clerk said before leading her toward the waiting room where Joss saw Finch with her sons there waiting. She immediately rushed to her boys. Taylor stood up, Simon smiled when he saw her, and she attempted to smile in return.

"My babies," she wrapped her arms around her sons, now getting to take a moment to truly make sure they were fine. "Are you both alright?"

"Yeah, mom, we're fine." Taylor whispered as he pulled back. Joss took a hold of Simon to give Taylor a break from holding him. Simon was happy to be in her arms. She squeezed him so tightly.

"What's going on with John? The clerk didn't say anything but that he's in the O.R."

"The doctor said that John was shot twice; once in the abdomen and once in the chest. He needed emergency surgery to stop the bleeding and remove the bullets," Taylor said, looking pale and exhausted. She bounced Simon in her arms who appeared bored. Thankfully, Shaw had remembered to bring his tablet so he could be distracted by it. She would have to get Shaw to go get it from the car.

"Go ask Shaw for her to accompany you to go get his tablet, it's in the backseat," she said before handing Simon to Taylor once more. Taylor nodded his head as he took Simon into his arms before heading over to where Shaw stood talking to Finch.

Joss felt calmer now that John was in good hands in the hospital. But as she felt herself calm it also brought the fury over what Reed had done. He scared her children, put them in danger, and her husband was now fighting for his life. They needed to find that bastard. And find him now.

Joss pulled her phone out of her jacket pocket, found the unknown number, and clicked it only having to wait one ring before it was answered. "Hello, detective, are we still on for tomorrow for our next meeting to try to lure this Mr. Reed out?"

"No, Elias," she whispered.

"Jocelyn, are you alright?"

"I never asked you for much, but I want to ask you and Anthony for a favor', she said.

"Sure, anything for my favorite detective."

"John was gunned down," she started and her throat felt like it was closing up on her, making her stop to clear it. "Brandon Reed knows I'm not Jocelyn Rice, he took my family, terrorized my sons and John was shot protecting them. I have no idea if my husband is going to make it or not, and I need you to find Reed for me, please," she asked.

"Of course, detective," he assured her.

"Call the moment you find him. I need to make sure he's taken down before he can hurt anyone else. Shoot him in the head or center mass," she said making sure he understood what she was asking.

"There wouldn't be any other way, detective." She nodded and hung up without another word. She turned and saw Finch standing there. She saw his look.

She shook her head. "I guess we now know why my number came up, I'm the perpetrator this time." She blinked away the tears that threatened. She felt uneven and unable to remain standing as she dropped into the closest chair.

Finch sat down beside her, gently touching her hand. "Jocelyn, I don't believe your number came up because you're the perpetrator, but I must ask you-can you live with yourself, live with what you asked Elias to do?"

"Yes," she said. "I can because my family will be safe," she assured him and Finch just looked at her. "But what I can't live with, is living without John. I can't…." she smothered the sob that threatened. Finch pulled her closer to him letting her rest her head on his shoulder. "I can't live without him, Finch."

"I pray you won't have to."

* * *

AN: Sorry guys no double post today. But at least John's in the hospital XD And next chapter, the final showdown with Reed happens!

Little sidenote this weekend I'll be posting a new update for Themes, and a new story something AU and something that was a ton of fun for me to write :D And that bodyswap fic is coming I promise, it's just taking me a little longer then originally planned.

Thanks for reading :)


	14. Chapter 14

A couple hours had passed since she arrived at the hospital. John was pulled out of emergency surgery and she was allowed into his ICU room. Finch had secured a private room for him. The doctor, Dr. Williamson, said John had lost a lot of blood and there had been massive internal bleeding but luckily neither bullet had hit any major organ. He had several transfusions already and needed a few more to get his blood count back to normal levels. His vitals were weak but stable which was why John had been placed on life support as he was still not out of the woods due to the trauma his body suffered. John had tests taken to find out if he had any brain damage due to lack of oxygen, when his heart stopped. Preliminary reports were positive, her husband had normal brain function. She nearly sobbed in relief at least it was a little good news.

Joss quietly sat on the chair beside John, her hands around his left hand. He was shirtless, the blanket pulled across his hips, he was all cleaned up now, and had only two big square bandages over his wounds. A tube was taped to his cheek inserted in his mouth as it kept John breathing while she watched the subtle rise and fall of his chest constantly wishing it wasn't a machine breathing for him. His eyes were shut, he looked so fragile, a word she would never have associated with him before now. Joss had cried off and on softly for the better part of an hour since being allowed in here, twice now the nurses tried to encourage her out but she wasn't budging. They were going to have to have security escort her out, because she wasn't leaving this damn spot.

She smiled at the stuffed turtle lying beside John. The stuffed turtle had been grabbed by Finch from John's car prior to moving the children into his car. Simon loved his stuffed turtle, very rarely ever left it alone, typically they forced him to when they didn't want to lug it around while shopping or out at the park. But this time Simon had voluntarily left his beloved stuffed turtle with John because he said daddy needed it to get better. Simon kept asking why daddy was asleep, she had to keep lying to him that he needed it to feel better, that daddy was hurt. Joss nearly sobbed like a baby when Simon asked John to wake up.

Joss leaned close to her husband's ear, her hand still holding his, the only sound was her ragged breathing besides all the machines keeping her husband alive that beeped, blipped, and hummed. His hand was limp in hers, she wished he would squeeze gently to let her know he was back with her, but it remained motionless.

She swallowed hard, as tears welled up in her eyes. "Since we met, John, I have been fighting," she whispered harshly, blinking as tears fell. "I fought for you to trust me, fought you to be let into your tightly guarded heart, I fought you tooth and nail for our son Simon. I fought with your demons and sometimes I don't always win the battle, but the war isn't over. I swear to you, I will fight them and beat them." She stopped when it felt like her throat was closing as a lump formed in her throat. "I never asked you to fight, John, but I'm asking now, I need you to fight. The doctor doesn't know if he saved your life or just prolonged it, he said that if you can just pull through the next forty-eight hours your prognosis will go up. So I am asking you to fight to come back to me, to Simon, and to Taylor," she begged as she closed her eyes, tears falling quickly.

She lifted her head when she heard a soft clearing of a throat. She attempted a smile as her mother came in. "Oh baby," she whispered.

"Momma, I need him," Joss whimpered as she stood up and was enveloped into a tight embrace. Her mother rubbed circles over her back, letting her cry into her shoulder as she had done a million times before.

Her mother held her. "I know you do, he needs you just the same," her mother cooed in her ear, pulling her back and rubbed at her face. Her mother reached into her purse handing her a tissue. "But he needs your strength, baby girl; you are the strongest woman I have ever known and he needs that strength now."

She nodded her head as she wiped at her nose. "Momma, I'm scared, the doctors aren't sure if he'll make it or not. Dr. Williamson said the next forty-eight hours is the most critical for him, I can't lose him, momma."

"I know you are scared, but while you are in this room with him, you aren't," her mother said as she pointed to John, Joss eyed him softly and nodded. Her mother was right, she was always right. She sat back down, grabbing John's hand gently. She peered into her husband's pale face. She had no doubt that John could hear her, but couldn't find his way back to her just yet.

Joss turned to look at her mother who pulled up a chair to sit beside her. "What happened, Jocelyn?"

Joss closed her eyes. "I was undercover, looking for a mad man, but he figured out the ruse and took my family. He took Simon, Taylor, and John to some remote place, John was gunned down protecting Simon and Taylor."

"Was this mad man caught?"

She shook her head. "Not yet, momma, but we're searching for him," she assured her without telling her mother that vigilantes, a mobster along with his men, as well as the police was searching for the man.

"Did you call Paul yet, he should know what happened to his son."

"No, but Taylor did, and told him what happened to his step-father. Paul said when John wakes up he wants to shake his hand for protecting his son with his life."

"Where are my grandchildren? I'll take them with me to stay at my place for a couple of days."

She shook her head, keeping a tight hand on John's, but eyed her mom. "No, I want you to stay with the boys at my place, please. Simon needs the stability, he's already crying and wondering what's wrong with John, and I don't want him to get any more upset."

"Alright baby girl, of course, my newest grandbaby is just healing after the harsh life he had before you and John adopted him." Joss nodded, glad her mother still never questioned what she told her about how they came upon Simon. She probably didn't care, she got another grandchild to dote on.

"But, uh, Taylor and Simon are with Finch getting some food. Actually they should be back any time now to be honest." And speak of the devils, the door to John's ICU room opened.

"Grandma," Taylor whispered.

"Nana," Simon called happily.

Joss forced a smile as she eyed Finch. "Boys, Grammy is going to take you guys back home and stay with you there for a few days." Simon bounced in Taylor's arms excited, before her mother grabbed a hold of Simon. Taylor hurried to her and kissed the on the top of the head.

"Call me, I want to know how John is." Taylor asked.

"Of course I will, now go with your grandmother," she said with a nod to the door. "I love you, Tay, and momma loves you Simon."

"Me luv momma too."

"Blow momma and daddy a kiss," she commanded. Simon did as asked and was giggling as her mother tickled his tummy, and Taylor exited the room right behind his grandmother. Joss allowed her false happiness to fade as she was alone with Finch.

"How is John, Jocelyn?" Finch asked. Joss saw the fear in his eyes, knew he didn't want to lose John, any more than she did.

"Not out of the woods, he hasn't opened his eyes or breathed on his own, and his vitals are weak but stable. The doctor said that the next forty-eight hours are the most critical for him." Finch eyed John who lay in the hospital bed unmoving, on life support. Joss was sitting beside him on the chair. Harold just wished he had told John the truth of their meeting. "You okay, Finch?" Joss asked, having noticed a change in him.

"He asked me many times about how we met, Jocelyn, and I never would tell him because I am a very private person. Maybe not so much as private, more like paranoid, I guess I got worried that he would dig into our pasts to find out what I said was the truth. But now seeing him as he is right now, I feel ashamed, Jocelyn," Harold paused as his breath hitched.

"Why do you feel ashamed, Harold?" Joss questioned softly. "You are a private person, John understands."

"I'm ashamed Jocelyn, because I never intended to tell him the truth nor let him figure it out on his own. Even though it wasn't that big of a secret, I just like my privacy," Finch admitted.

"Tell him now." He blinked, looking into Jocelyn's eyes. She looked exhausted, but strong. She wasn't giving up on John. "Tell John now, he can hear us, I know he can," she assured him, brushing her fingers through John's hair. Joss reluctantly released John's hand, before sliding out of the chair, to move beside Finch. Joss gently rubbed his shoulders in an affectionate, nearly maternal way, and he was almost twenty years older than this brave young woman. "Harold, tell us," she whispered with a soft smile.

Harold nodded, feeling her wipe away his tears, soothing him, and he limped to the chair she had vacated with her clutching his elbow in silent support and he slid down to sit beside his fallen friend. Harold slowly reached out to grab John's hand. He swallowed hard. God, he cared about this man immensely. He never told John how much he cared for him, tried to show it, but never could he work up the nerve to tell him how much he cared.

Joss rubbed his arm softly and it gave him confidence to speak the words. "I met John Davis when he had been just twenty-one years old. Or rather seen and listened in on John Davis, then met. I am well older than you are, John, I was already on my way to making my billions, and you were just a kid. It was a nice afternoon, a fall day just like any other similar to today; Nathan and I were having lunch and talking business. I can't even remember what Nathan ordered, maybe because it happened a little over twenty years ago, but he began choking, and you saved him. One minute my friend was choking, turning a disturbing purplish blue color, and the next he was gasping in breath with tears in his eyes from lack of oxygen and gratitude. I had rushed off to the hostess to call an ambulance, panicking, but you-you just swooped in, gave him the Heimlich after seeing him through the window grabbing at his throat from the outside."

"That sounds like John, a good man," Joss whispered, rubbing his tense shoulders. Harold nodded with a wavering smile, as John's vision blurred before him.

"Do you remember that now? I remained in the shadows watching and listening to the conversation between you and Nathan, as you know by now I am a very private person. Do you remember Nathan asking you for your name, wishing to write you a check, thinking money was what you would want instead of a simple thank you? Do you remember what you told him to do with that check in your name? You told Nathan to donate it to a charity, a charity for orphaned children. So you see, John, I first saw you as just you, John Davis, before you ever became John Reese, a man that saved my best friend's life. So I know without a shadow of a doubt that you are an exceptional man that was just led astray. A man that believed when he joined the CIA he was doing it for his country, to protect people, a man that was lied to and used."

Joss just stood quietly beside him not saying anything for a long while, happy to know the truth of their first meeting. The steady beep of John's heart monitor was the only sound in the otherwise silent room. They both just wished John was breathing on his own, rather than the machine.

The door opened and a nurse entered. "Joss, you have a phone call." She nodded, it was probably Taylor calling to check in on John. She had a sinking feeling that her son was going to blame himself for what happened to John just by the way he was hovering around John.

"I have to take this, Harold."

He nodded. "Of course, I'm not planning on leaving John's side for a long while," he assured her. Joss nodded before exiting the room leaving her husband in the capable hands of Harold and the nurse. Joss hurried down to the clerk at the nurses' station, motioning for the phone, and the woman handed it to her.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Carter! I sucked it up and asked Root where Reed was, she got me the exact location," Shaw said and Joss tightened her hold on the black phone, turning away from the woman behind the desk as she worked on the computer.

"You did, where is he?"

"About twenty minutes out from the place where Reese was gunned down, he's at some sort of old aviation training facility. It is owned and run by a man named Xavier Mendall. Fusco checked up on him, he fits the bill for a new victim, I'm guessing he has moved on from you." She felt her free hand curl into a fist.

"Give me the location; I'll be on my way."

"Stay with Reese," Shaw countered.

"Not on your life, Shaw, give me the location, I'm coming with you."

"Look, Finch already told me you talked to Elias and I already called him. I have enough backup, you stay with your husband."

"I said I'm coming, it is my husband that was gunned down. I'm coming, period."

"Fine! I don't want to waste time arguing, just be careful. You have your cell on you still?" Shaw questioned.

"Yeah."

"I'll text the address to you in a couple minutes."

"I'm on my way," she assured her as she hung up. She had to end this once and for all. She had to go to make sure. John was going to be in safe hands in the hospital and with Finch. Joss turned, feeling her phone buzz in her pocket with the text as she rushed back into John's ICU room. The nurse had left during her phone conversation with Shaw and Finch was quietly sitting with John. "I have to go, I need your keys, Finch."

"Where?" he questioned as he sat forward with a start before pulling out his car keys and handing them to her.

"Shaw found Reed, I guess she called Root for assistance. I don't care how she got his whereabouts but he's about twenty minutes out from where John was gunned down which is about a half hour from here. Shaw already called in Elias for backup, but I need to go there too."

"Jocelyn…."

"No, I need to be there; I have to go help and get that bastard. John risked his life to protect our children, I have to see to it that Reed will never hurt anyone ever again," she said before grabbing her jacket. She leaned over her husband very carefully. "Baby, I'll be back, I'm going to finish the fight you started with Reed, Finch will be with you. I love you, John." She bent over his limp hand, bringing it up a little to kiss it softly.

"Please be careful, Jocelyn, your children can't have both John and you in the hospital," Finch said, forcing her to pause at the door. She smiled before turning and heading out to go end this once and for all.

* * *

It was becoming late evening. Her sons were with her mother, John was with Finch, and she arrived at the address Shaw texted her. She prayed that Reed was still here. It had taken her about twenty-five minutes to arrive at the empty parking lot of the training facility of the former aviation center. She grabbed her gun before exiting Finch's car. She slid an earwig into her ear, before connecting with Shaw.

"You almost here?" she questioned quietly as she slowly hurried to the big building off to the side of the runway.

"Behind you." Joss turned and saw Shaw and Fusco exiting her car, Elias and several of his men were just arriving. "Carter, you and Fusco are going to enter the front entrance, while I take the back."

Elias nodded as he walked with Marconi and a few of his men, all armed. "We'll take the side entrances, surround the building so this man can't make it out unless we want him to."

"Remember he can't feel anything," Joss begun.

"This means headshots or shots to center mass, my favorite," Shaw muttered.

"Everyone be careful, he's armed and dangerous," Joss said and with a final nod everyone dispersed. She and Fusco hurried to the front entrance.

"You really think this is a good idea that you are here, Carter? Your husband was gunned down by this freak," Fusco whispered.

"And that is the exact reason why I'm here. To make sure he doesn't hurt anyone again," she agreed. "We go on my mark." They took their stance near the door, she just merely nodded her head, and Fusco kicked the door open and she entered. There were a bunch of crates, so many that the place looked tiny for what had to be a 5000 square foot building. But smack dab in the middle of the room, in a tiny clearing, was Brandon Reed standing behind a man that was forced to his knees, crying, and begging for his life. The guy was in a suit, evidently he was Mendall. Brandon Reed looked at her before she even had a chance to take aim for him.

He aimed his gun towards her and fired. Joss lunged to the side, hiding behind some big crates. Fusco kept back, waiting for a cease fire, and once he got it he charged in, gun drawn. Brandon Reed had hidden behind some of the crates. They heard a man screaming and footsteps, before Mendall ran out of the building.

"Put the gun down!" Joss shouted as she kept low to the ground, weaving through the throng of crates, and using them as cover.

"Do you have any idea who you just saved? Do you have any idea what are in these crates, Jocelyn?" Reed shouted in return. She tried to tell where he was in this place but hadn't a clue.

"Tell me!"

"He's smuggling drugs, weapons, explosives, anything that you can, he has smuggled it. Last week he smuggled women….underage, and they were sold to the highest bidder in the black market."

"So it's up to you to make him pay because he needs to be cleansed!" she snarled, trying to keep him talking so she could locate him. Fusco went a different way, keeping low, and using the crates as cover. "Why did you move on from me, I hadn't been cleansed yet?"

"Gabby told me too." Gabby?—who the hell was Gabby? "She told me that you will suffer the way we have, that you now know how it feels to lose the one that you love, the one that makes you feel whole," Brandon shouted. Joss paused, it sounded like it was coming to her right.

She turned to the right, keeping low as she stalked him. "John's not dead."

"He will be, I shot him at point blank range, and then you'll know what it feels like for me to live without my Gabby. That is your suffering, that is why she told me to move on." Joss blinked. Wait…Gabby, as in Gabrielle, the woman that gave birth to Simon, the one that had been killed by his step-mother and his father. He was taking orders from a dead woman, this guy was much further gone then she originally anticipated. "I should have known he was going to let those spawns of yours to run, he gave a valiant effort, I give him that."

"My husband is a stubborn SOB and he will be alright because he has his sons and a wife to live for. What do you have? Oh right, a woman you claim to love, that you raped, is dead, and she's telling you how to avenge her. You're pathetic!" she sneered. Shaw was covering the back exit, Elias and Marconi had to have the building surrounded while she and Fusco searched for this guy.

"Shut up you filthy bitch!"

Joss smiled. "What, can't handle the truth? The woman you loved was not of legal age, you pervert." Joss wanted to hurt him so badly, make him feel like she was currently. "You know that son of yours that you figured was dead?—the boy is alive, but you'll never see him again."

"Shit, Carter, stop fucking egging him on," Shaw snapped. But she didn't respond, because she was going to twist the knife that she just stabbed into this damn man's heart over and over again for what he did to her family. She might not be able to make up for the fact that her husband was fighting for his life, but getting some retribution on the bastard that did this to him and made her sons cry was fulfilling.

"He's alive?"

Joss laughed. "Yeah, he has a good life, something you'd never be able to give him."

"Where is my son?!"

"Gone," she wasn't about to tell him the truth, that her son was that boy. "He's with a nice family, well loved, and doesn't know what a disgusting freak of a biological father he had," she said, going for the jugular, loving the strangled scream she heard.

"You are going to tell me where my son is!" Joss heard him getting close as he was searching out her voice. "Where are you, you fucking bitch?!" he shouted, she heard his footsteps and she held her breath. When he passed her, she got to her feet, and pulled back the hammer.

"Don't make any sudden moves or I will kill you," she assured him as she trembled. "Drop your weapon," she commanded. Brandon Reed did as requested. "Raise your hands above your head slowly, then turn around."

Brandon Reed raised his arms above his head before turning to look at her. Joss felt tears swimming in her eyes as she came face to face with the man that shot her husband, that had been about to shoot her son, and had scared Simon. "I won't let you hurt anyone ever again."

"Where is my son?" he demanded, his eyes looked glazed, and he didn't even seem all there.

"Carter, we're coming," Shaw assured her over the earwig. But none of it mattered, she needed answers.

"Why did you do this? Why did you go on a killing spree, because of what happened to you as a boy?"

"Gabby, told me to do this, to make them pay, because we needed to purge the world of sinners like Declan and Clara Reed, people like you," he said with his arms still up.

"You don't know me, I'm not a bad person and I have lived with a moral code all my life," she answered. "But you threatened my children, you shot and nearly killed the man I love, so if you make one false move I will kill you regardless if you're unarmed or not, and not feel one shred of guilt over it."

"Where is my son?" he demanded.

"I will never tell you where that boy is," she promised. Brandon Reed's face contorted in rage, he lunged forward towards her when a gun was fired. Brandon Reed jerked as blood sprayed everywhere, as Brandon Reed fell lifelessly to the ground. "Because he's mine and John's now," Joss whispered as she stared down at the man that had a gaping wound in his head. He had been shot in the head at a close range, and she finally tore her gaze off the dead man to watch as Elias, Marconi, Shaw, and Fusco, all guns drawn, surrounded her and the lifeless Brandon Reed.

Shaw looked at her. "I told you I was gonna kill him," Shaw assured. She nodded her head, mutely, feeling arms wrap around hers and realized that it was Fusco and Shaw helping her away.

"Come on Carter, you look like you're going into shock," Fusco whispered. And she felt like it, she had been operating on pure adrenaline, and now that the nightmare was over and Brandon Reed was stopped she felt like she was going to collapse from exhaustion. But she couldn't, her husband needed her.

"I can't I have to…." She turned to look back at Reed, as Shaw and Fusco struggled to tug her along.

Elias waved her off. "Don't worry detective, we'll take care of this for you as you did call for our assistance, go, be with your husband," he said and she didn't even want to know how he was going to 'deal' with that.

Shaw and Fusco wordlessly led her away, toward Shaw's car, where they deposited her in the passenger seat. "I'll take Einstein's car back to the hospital," Fusco said before slamming the door shut and tapped the top of the car. Shaw quietly pulled the car away from the center.

"It's finally over, Simon is safe now," Shaw quietly spoke.

"Everyone is safe now," Joss agreed. "Now I just need my husband to be alright."

"Carter, John isn't going anywhere, he's got a lot to live for. He's got a hot wife to bone all the time, a son to watch grow up, and I'm not nearly done eating his fucking amazing food! So he has to be fine so he can cook me food," Shaw reasoned.

Joss half laughed, knowing Shaw was trying her damnedest at cheering her up. She didn't say another word, just watched the passing scenery as Shaw drove her back to the hospital, silently reflecting on the end of Brandon Reed.

* * *

AN: A special update on Monday for ReadtoRelax XD Tomorrow there will be one after I get my hair done! Whoop whoop, lookout I'll be blond again for spring/summer };D

Thanks for reading XOXOXOXOXOXOX


	15. Chapter 15

"When are you going to open those beautiful eyes for me?" Joss asked softly. Her husband had made it through the critical 48 hours that the doctor was most worried about, four days ago. Steadily since then John's vitals grew stronger and stronger; the doctors weaned him off the ventilator two days ago and John did not suffer a setback. Dr. Williamson was happy at John's recovery and said that being John had been in fine physical shape and overall good health was a big help. But his continued recovery was going to be up to John if he followed the doctor's orders once he awakened. John was heavily sedated to keep him resting to allow his body continued time to heal from the trauma it had suffered, which honestly was for the best. John probably would pop one of his many stitches that would cause a setback for him. But it didn't help, because she longed for her husband to be awake, to talk to him.

Joss knew that it was for the best but it didn't mean she liked having her husband out of it for the last few days. He hadn't opened his eyes once. She hadn't talked to him since all those phone calls she bugged him with until he started ducking her. He was in need of a shave, she liked the au-natural look he was sporting in his hair, and was going to urge him to keep it.

"How is he?" she blinked as she looked up and saw her son who was carrying Simon. She had figured when she sent her son to the vending machine to get Simon a bag of Animal Crackers, and himself something it would have taken a bit longer than it had. Taylor sat down beside her in the empty chair. Simon was eating a cookie from the bag.

She smiled as she eyed her husband. "Better, I think he's getting close to opening his pretty eyes for us, the nurses have been giving him less and less knock out meds."

"Good, I miss talking to him."

"Me too, baby, me too," she agreed.

Joss whirled around when she heard a soft moan. She leaned forward, Simon was squealing daddy, and Taylor was asking her if he was alright. "John," she softly called and was greeted with a tightening of his fingers on hers. "John, oh thank god," she sobbed in utter relief as John's eyes opened. She laid her head down over his hand she still held and cried. She had been waiting for so long to see those eyes again. It felt like forever had gone by without seeing them peer back at her.

Simon was crying obviously scared as to why his momma was crying, she could hear Taylor trying to calm him, and she composed herself as she raised her head. She smiled as she looked at Simon. "Momma's okay, Simon, I'm crying happy tears, because daddy's awake," she cooed to her son, who instantly stopped crying, realizing his momma was alright.

"Daddy," he reached for John but Taylor held on.

"Daddy can't hold you Simon, but you can give him a kiss in a minute." Taylor whispered gruffly.

Joss and Taylor leaned forward, watchful of John. "What happened?" he whispered as he looked around.

"You were shot by Brandon Reed." He blinked his eyes as if trying to remember. "He was going to shoot Taylor," Joss whispered feeling her boy tense next to her. And she couldn't figure out how long her son was going to hide the fact that he wasn't dealing with what happened that night.

John closed his eyes, barely nodding his head. "I remember now," he whispered. "It's fuzzy though."

"It's okay, you're still on pain meds, baby, you have been in the hospital for about a week now."

"A week," he croaked. "Save me, get me out of here," he begged softly, attempting to smile.

She shook her head. "You're not going anywhere until the doctor says you are well enough to leave." She didn't care how much complaining he would do. His health and recovery was the priority.

John's eyes shifted to Taylor and Simon, where Simon was constantly saying 'daddy' to get his attention. "Simon, Taylor," he smiled as his eyes drooped a bit. Simon was now crying as he squirmed to get to John, and Taylor looked panicked that he was going to lose his grip on Simon. "What's this?" John asked softly. His hand barely moved but he had noticed Simon's stuffed turtle was underneath his arm, curled into him, similar to how Simon slept with the thing every night at home.

She swallowed several times, hoping that would ward off the growing need to cry. "Simon wanted you to have Leo to help you sleep, so you would get better quicker." John's lips barely lifted. Simon cried and she turned to see her son now really struggling to hang onto Simon.

"Let him come here," John whispered. Joss eyed John a little weary, not wanting him to cause himself any pain.

She looked at Simon. "Simon, you can lay with daddy but you have to be very careful, daddy has a lot of boo-boos and needs to get better," Joss said sternly; the moment she thought that Simon had unintentionally caused John pain she would snatch their son up out of bed quickly.

Simon nodded his head, willing to agree to anything as long as he got his way. Joss slowly removed Simon's beloved stuffed turtle out from under John's arm as he was so weak he could barely move it himself and lightly put it on his stomach. She took her son out of Taylor's hands and gingerly sat their son down beside John, who crawled up and very softly laid where the stuffed turtle had been.

Joss felt her lower lip quiver as John's eyes drooped, and he managed to curl his hand around their son's back, and Simon laid his head on John's bicep. Taylor picked up the stuffed turtle, putting it on the chair behind them, while John struggled to remain awake. Simon nearly fell asleep instantly.

"Go to sleep, John." she whispered as he struggled to keep his eyes open, John's eyes slowly slid shut as he slowly fell back asleep. She looked at her son Taylor before leaning her head against his shoulder, felt him encircle her shoulders with his arm and they silently cried happily together.

* * *

John was irritable. He had been awake now for a week and a half, still in the damn hospital. He glared at Nurse Kelly who entered. "You know you could give me that cute smile you reserve for your wife and kids, I am not all bad," she suggested as she began doing a routine exam.

"Yeah, you are you keep me here," he countered.

"Yeah, well, John you haven't been released by your doctor, so trying to sneak out of the hospital isn't working. The girls were all put on 'John patrol' by your beautiful wife," she said with a giggle. "Not that we mind fussing with you one bit, I might add, but you can be a surly patient."

"I'm only surly because I'm fine to go home and you people won't let me," he grouched. "All I am doing is sitting in this bed, I can do this at home."

"Uh-huh," she sighed as she put the plugs to the stethoscope in her ears, before placing it on his heart. "Take a deep breath, John." He did as requested. Before she grabbed the BP cuff and he glared at the thing. "You really hate this thing."

"It cost me from going home yesterday."

She laughed. "No it didn't, Dr. Williamson had no intentions of releasing you yesterday, John. But the doctor was worried about how elevated your blood pressure was, but likely it was because of your cute little wife. She riled you up yesterday." John refused to acknowledge what she said. Because it was the truth, Joss had riled him up when she basically forbid him from working any numbers for the next foreseeable future. He had been pissed and she had the nerve to leave when Nurse Kelly came in.

"I want to go home," he demanded.

"Well I want a million dollars and you don't see me winning the lottery, do you?" she teased. He scowled at her while she finished his exam. "Dr. Williamson is going to evaluate you soon and see if you are strong enough to go home." John didn't bother to respond as she already knew his stance on whether or not he was well enough to go home.

The door opened to his private room and Joss entered. "Oh good, someone that can calm him down, your husband sure doesn't like being told what to do," the nurse said with a laugh as she spoke to Joss. His wife smiled at him.

"And he sure the hell doesn't like being talked about like he's not even here," he growled.

The nurse exited and Joss crossed towards him, sitting down beside him on the bed. "You know you could be a little less grumpy, John, they are only doing their job. It's not their fault Dr. Williamson said 'no go' for you going home yesterday."

"Had my blood pressure not been so high I think I would have," he griped. "Whose fault is that, wife?"

She rolled her eyes. "Not mine."

"It is yours."

"Why? Because I told you that you were forbidden from working the numbers? As if I was the only one that came to that conclusion, both Finch and Shaw aren't allowing you anywhere near them until you are hundred percent."

"I'm nearly a hundred percent." He lied. More like he was maybe at fifty percent, with barely being able to sit up without feeling exhausted from the exertion.

"Uh-huh, nearly a hundred percent you say? So you can walk to the bathroom without assistance now?" she asked innocently and was given a thunderous look. "I take that as a no."

"It's not because I haven't tried but you put these nurses on 'John patrol' and the damn nurses come in here and check my room every two seconds." He sulked, crossing his arms across his chest. He didn't care if he was on the borderline of whining, he wanted to go home and sleep in his own bed. "They get in the way of me trying to do it myself."

"I doubt that, I bet you are about to keel over and they rescue you from doing that. John, you were nearly fatally shot, your body needs time to heal. So you'll have to lean a little, you'll be sidelined until you heal. And while you heal we won't have to worry about a babysitter, which Simon will adore having his daddy around all the time."

He exhaled roughly when he realized his wife and friends weren't going to budge an inch on this no work aspect. He was stuck. She had told him what had happened to Brandon Reed, that he wasn't a threat to them, to Simon, or to anyone anymore. And he was thankful.

"But you'll have to better enough to go out on December 14th because Sesame Street on Ice is in town, and we have front row tickets to go see See See on Ice," she said with a smile as she repeated what Simon called it. John chuckled softly, their son had been talking about it since he awakened that they were going to go to See See on Ice and see Elmo, Big Bird, and the Cookie Monster.

The door to the room opened and Dr. Williamson entered with Nurse Kelly beside him. Joss smiled as she stood up. "Dr. Williamson," she greeted.

"Hello, Jocelyn, here for support?" the doctor asked with a ready smile.

"I'll always support John."

The doctor laughed mightily. "I meant our support not your husband's, he is a handful." John glared as he was being talked about like he wasn't there again and Joss laughed softly.

"Don't I know it," she said with a wink his way, which he refused to even acknowledge it as he focused on the doctor.

"I want to leave," he stated firmly.

"Yes, Kelly told me you are very adamant that you feel well enough to go home." The doctor agreed as he began doing a small exam. He checked his vitals. "Good news, Mr. Warren, I'm going to release you."

"Thank god!"

"However, I want a follow up appointment made for a week from now to make sure you are still recovering well. I want you to follow a soft-foods diet, slowly add more and more firm food to your diet just to continue to build you back up after not being on solid foods for nearly two weeks. Also there is absolutely no heavy lifting which includes picking up your son, not a lot of walking around, you need lots of rest, and certainly no sex."

Once the doctor was happy he had heard the stipulations, he stepped back and was making notations in his chart, before clicking the pen, and smiled. "I'll go get your release papers started and you'll be out of here within the hour, Mr. Warren," he said before turning around and exited with the nurse on his heels.

* * *

Joss glared at John, who lifted his chin up defiantly. She sighed, she guessed that it was better he was trying to sneak out of bed, it meant he was feeling better. He had been home for a few days now and slowly but surely was getting better and better. She was happy, but he was still under strict guidelines and he didn't want to continue to follow them, while she wasn't budging a darn inch on them. "If I do Simon's 'pwease' song will it get you to let me out of this bed?"

"Try," she murmured with a smile, not about to tell him that it wouldn't have any effect on her, that he was still going to be stuck in bed. But she wanted to hear him do it.

"Pweasssssssssssssssse," he tried and did the whole batting of the eyes too. Joss fanned herself, not having figured he would include the batting of those baby blues. "So, can I get up now?"

"Nope, it never works for Simon and it sure doesn't work for his daddy either." She chuckled at the real honest to goodness pout she received. Man, did it suck that she was forced to keep her hands to herself until her husband was feeling better. "Can we talk seriously though?" she asked sobering up.

He looked up into her eyes, the playful look gone. "Sure."

"Your son is having nightmares."

"Simon will be okay, Joss, he didn't see me bleeding. I think it might be the sound the gun made when Brandon fired it. Brandon Reed is lucky Shaw killed him; he was going to shoot Taylor, he dropped Simon…Brandon Reed would have surely felt pain from what I would have done to him." Joss gulped a bit at the hard look John had. She had not a single doubt that John was telling her the truth, she was just glad it was all over, because now John could focus on getting better.

But she steered them back to what she wanted to talk about. "John, I wasn't talking about Simon, I was talking about Taylor," she said gently. John's eyes searched hers. "You have to know that Taylor loves you like a second dad."

"I…uh…he does?" John questioned.

"Wow, John, yes, my son loves you like a second dad. He will always love Paul, be grateful that his dad straightened his act up to be a part of his life, but he loves you too, John. You are there for him, you talk to him, and you two just connect. He loves you a lot and I know you love him a lot too."

"I do."

"Taylor is having a hard time dealing with what happened, and he won't talk to me about it. He just says it's no big deal, he's fine, and Hayley said he has been distant with her, but claims he's fine. But I know he's not fine because I caught him crying; he said to drop it, but I can't, I love my boy, and bottling these things up doesn't help anyone."

"I'm sorry, Joss." He reached out taking her hand.

"Can you talk to him?"

"Send him up." She nodded leaning forward to kiss his lips gently, before standing up, and hurried down stairs. She found Taylor sitting on the couch beside Shaw playing Call of Duty and Simon was seated on the chair with his tablet, reading to his stuffed turtle.

"Taylor," she called and his eyes shot to her.

"What mom?"

"John needs to see you," she said and his head turned.

"Can you take my place?" he held out the controller which she took and sat down beside Shaw. She watched as her son quickly went up the stairs.

Shaw flicked a look at her. "You remember how to play right?"

"Of course, now with me playing we can kick that other team's butt!"

* * *

John sat and waited for Taylor to come up, but he didn't have to wait long as the boy rushed into the room. "Mom said you wanted to see me? Are you okay? Do you need me to get you something? Are you hungry? Are you thirsty? Do you need Simon, I can go get him for you?"

"Relax Taylor, I don't need anything," John motioned for him to come over to him. "Come here, if I get up your mom will nag at me." Taylor smirked.

"Nag, my mom doesn't nag she yells."

"Don't tell your mother I said that."

"Your secret is safe with me." He winked.

John smirked back. "Is that a subtle hint that I'm going to be blackmailed in the near future for something?" he teased and the boy before he sat down beside his hip. The laughter was gone as he eyed him.

"What did you need to see me about?"

"Your mother told me that you've been upset about what happened, that you have been crying and been distant with Hayley," John said, unable to figure out a way to talk about it without being just abrupt and direct.

He watched the kid's face, he was definitely his mother's son because his face grew angry quick. "My mom told you that! She had no right!"

"She's your mother."

"Does she tell you everything?" he asked sulkily as he folded his arms across his chest. John felt a smile grace his mouth and slowly Taylor's did too reluctantly. They both remembered a certain conversation back at the safe house, back before they realized Kara Stanton had kidnapped Joss.

"Not everything, but almost," he murmured before growing serious once more. "Taylor, I need you to know it wasn't your fault, any of it. I would never let anything hurt you or Simon."

The kid swallowed hard. "I got you shot."

"You didn't get me shot."

"Yeah I did, that psycho was going to shoot me and then you pushed me out of the way!"

"Yes, I pushed you out of the way because I love you, Taylor. I love both you and Simon, and I would die to protect you both."

"And you nearly did! Mom had to do CPR on you!" he said. John saw the tears welling up in his eyes. "You and mom just got married, you just adopted Simon legally, John. You haven't had a family in god knows how long, you nearly died, and never got to experience it, or enjoy it."

"Taylor, answer something for me truthfully, please." He waited for the boy to nod his head slowly. "What type of family would Joss, Simon, and I have if something had happened to you?" he asked quietly. Taylor's Adams' Apple slowly bobbed. "Your mother and I would have been devastated."

"John…."

"Tell me, Taylor, tell me what is bothering you."

John watched as tears slipped down his cheeks. "I knew running out of that door to save me and Simon meant that there was a good chance that I would never see you again because you were already injured, unarmed, and alone. And I couldn't handle that," Taylor admitted. "When we were told it was bad, that you were shot an additional time, I felt like it was my fault because I knew it came after I ran with Simon. I should have stayed to protect you and Simon." John watched as the boy lowered his head in his hands and cried. John shifted and squirmed forward to gently touch his hands, removing them from his face, and then pulled the kid into a hug.

"It is okay, Taylor, you did the right thing by leaving me. You did as you promised me; you saved you and your brother's life," he whispered in the teen's ear. He felt Taylor wrap his arms around him, heard the soft sobs as the boy finally let some of his pain out. After several minutes Taylor composed himself.

"Uh, I'm sorry, John, for crying on you," Taylor said without looking him in the eyes. John touched his arm, earning him the boy's attention.

"Don't be sorry. Don't ever be sorry, your mother helped me realize that you need to lean a little. And you definitely need to let things out; trust me, I know what it feels like to hold it in. You feel like you're suffocating." The boy nodded his head. John slowly worked his jaw. "When I met your mother I was in a shootout with my former partner in the CIA, bleeding from a gut-shot much like the one that Brandon Reed gave me, just not nearly as severe, and contemplating letting myself get killed." Taylor's eyes flew to his in shock. "I told you, you don't know things about me."

Taylor's shock faded and he nodded his head. "Mom saved you?"

"Yes in more ways than one, as did Harold."

"I always wondered what it was that you used to do. Mom always said that you don't know that you are a good man, that you needed some reminding."

John smiled a little. "Your mother has an unflappable belief in me, Taylor."

"So do I, John, I love you," Taylor said honestly. He was just like his mother.

"I love you too." John was shocked when Taylor leaned over and gave him a tight hug, before sitting back, looking relaxed for the first time since he came into the bedroom. "No more blaming yourself, please, your mother is so worried about you. Talk to her, Hayley, or me, we're all here for you, Taylor, you don't have to do everything alone."

"I know, I have to apologize to mom and Hayley for how I was treating them."

John shook his head. "You don't have to apologize to them, they know you went through something traumatic and were trying to figure things out, just let them in. That's all they want."

"Mom really has rubbed off on you, John," he said with a quick rueful smile.

He shrugged, "Your mother has some good ideas, here and there."

Taylor let out a boisterous laugh. "I won't tell her you said that either," he teased.

"Now help me get out of this bed, I'm slowly going insane," he whispered as he eyed the door just in case his love was waiting in the wings. He needed to get the hell out of this bed and out of this bedroom. Taylor gave him a pointed look.

"What, the crossword puzzles are too boring for you?" Taylor questioned with a look at the discarded book and pen on the nightstand. John rolled his eyes, the kid could say that again. "I know mom probably saddled you with it. But mom is downstairs, she'll know that you got out of bed, then you'll be in for that lecture that will make your ears fall off," Taylor grinned. "I love my mom but I know my mom."

"Go get Simon, I have an idea," John said with a mischievous waggle of his brows.

"You know I could get into trouble with my mom for helping you," Taylor said. John sighed, nodding his head. But Taylor grinned. "I'm in," he assured him as he stood up, hurrying out of the bedroom. Taylor felt so much better since talking to John, he would have to thank and apologize to mom later. Right now John was getting the itch to leave the bed, he was going to help John jail-break from his solitary confinement of the bedroom. John looked so bored, he felt for the guy. Mom and John didn't even have a TV in their bedroom.

He took the spiral staircase two steps at a time, before pasting on a forlorn look. Maybe if his mom didn't know that things were better for him yet, she would not hurry up there and bust them before he helped John out of bed.

He entered the living room, seeing his mom and Shaw really into Call of Duty. "How are you guys doing?" he questioned as he sidled up towards Simon who was still reading out loud. He was getting better and better at reading words and full sentences.

"Kicking butt! People are raging, just imagine if they realized it was two middle aged women kicking their butts," Joss said with a determined expression.

"Speak for yourself, Carter, I'm not middle aged," Shaw snapped as she shot one computer foe in the head, Taylor heard shouting over the television from someone in the world who they were fighting against. He loved playing online.

"Well John wants to speak to me and Simon alone," Taylor admitted quietly. Joss looked up. She gave him a look that clearly said she was worried about him, and watched him pick Simon up along with his LeapFrog LeapPad tablet and stuffed turtle. Simon never broke in his concentration.

"Carter, get your head in the game! John will talk sense into him soon," Shaw snapped and he hid a smirk before whirling around with Simon in his arms. He hurried upstairs, hoping John waited for him to help. Taylor rushed into the bedroom finding John sitting on the edge of the bed looking pale and winded.

"Daddy, me read, me read!" Simon announced triumphantly, finally managing to tear his little gaze off of his tablet.

"Good job, Simon," John murmured. Taylor put Simon on the bed, who crawled his way to John, and Taylor grabbed John's hand helping him to a standing position. John swayed a little, obviously still dealing with weakness, but Simon was hopping on the bed to be picked up by his dad.

"Hey little man, remember daddy can't pick you up right now, how about daddy holds your hand?" Taylor suggested.

"Daddy, not better?" Simon said looking teary eyed. Taylor's eyes widened.

"I'm better Simon, but uh…daddy needs you to hold my hand and help me to your playroom." John said to ward off the tears. Simon nodded his little head solemnly, before wiggling off the big bed without any help from daddy or older brother because he wanted to do it.

Simon grabbed John's right hand, Taylor wrapped an arm around John's elbow, and helped him walk out of the bedroom. John was slow but with Taylor's help, they got to Simon's playroom relatively easy. However the playroom was the next room near the master bedroom so it wasn't a very far walk, but John still felt glad he moved more than to go to the bathroom.

"Hey munchkin, daddy needs to sit down on your Leonardo Bean Bag chair to feel much better, so can you help me by cleaning the action figures off of it?"

"Ok, T," Simon nodded happily, running to his Leonardo bean bag chair, tugging the action figures off of it like a good boy. Taylor helped John towards it, where he nearly fell into the chair rather than sat down. Simon was climbing into John's lap nearly instantly.

"Taylor, get those three remote controls," John pointed to the corner where Simon's giant monster trucks were, leaning his head against the wall as he breathed raggedly. Taylor's concern over how pale and exhausted John looked fled as he grinned.

"We're racing!"

"Yes," John agreed and Simon was ecstatic that his older brother and dad were going to play with him. He took hold of one control, Taylor gave John one, and he kept one himself. He had no clue which one controlled which, but it was process of elimination. He had the blue monster truck, Simon had the red one, and John had the black one. Taylor placed them all at the back of the room against the wall as the starting position. "First one to the step wins." John pointed to the entrance of the room, where there happened to be a step up so you could leave, which was somewhat far since the room was really pretty big. "Since Simon learned his numbers, how about on the count of three, we go. You say it Simon."

Simon grinned up at his daddy, before looking at the trucks. "One, two, twee!" and the race was on.

* * *

AN: This chapter was only cut up because of being so long, so I decided to post the last chapter today too. I was going to wait until Friday but there really is no need to make you guys wait XD 


	16. Chapter 16

Shaw and Joss put down the controllers after a good hour or so of playing. Taylor had come down, snatched Simon up about a half hour ago. "I wonder what's going on up there."

"Maybe Reese is trying to talk to both Taylor and Simon, make sure both of them are okay about what happened," Shaw said with a shrug.

"Maybe," Joss agreed.

"I need to check his dressings," Shaw said as she stood up.

Joss followed and shut the console off. "I'm coming too; I want to see how Taylor and Simon are." She followed Shaw up the stairs but they heard laughter and shouting coming from Simon's playroom. "Oh hell no!" Joss growled as she stormed into the room with Shaw hot on her trail. They stood in the doorframe watching John with Simon in his lap, Taylor seated beside them on the floor racing monster trucks. All eyes lifted up to her, and almost immediately their eyes went innocent. Simon's were always innocent, but Taylor's and John's went large and pleading. "John, you were supposed to be in bed!"

Simon's large blue eyes lifted to John. "Daddy in twouble?"

"Yes," Joss answered while John said no. "What do you think you're doing?" she demanded with a crossing of her arms as she stepped inside the room just before the step that led down to the playroom.

"It kind of looks like they are racing the remote control cars," Shaw murmured, then held up her hands in defeat when she shot her a glare to quiet the woman.

"Relax, Joss, I'm just sitting on Simon's bean bag thing." He pointed to the green TMNT bean bag chair that had Leo's face on it that Finch had found and purchased for the boy.

Simon piped up to explain. "T say daddy need Leo, Momma."

"T is right, daddy does need Leo, but Momma says that daddy needs the bed because daddy is still trying to feel better over his boo-boos," she said with a stern look at her boys.

"Oh come on Mom, let John have a little fun, he was so bored. You guys don't even have TV to watch."

"I gave him a crossword puzzle book!" she defended.

Shaw snorted. "Sticking nails in his eyes would be more fun than a crossword puzzle, Carter." Joss turned to glare at her once more. "What, I'm just saying!"

"Mom, he's already in here, how about letting John hang out of bed for a little while longer? Then when we are through, we all help him back to bed," Taylor bartered.

Joss sighed. There was no use, John was sitting, and he looked vaguely comfortable. "Fine, you have another twenty minutes, and then we are getting him back in bed."

"Don't I get a say in this?" John grumbled.

"No," they all said minus Simon who giggled. Her boys put their twenty minutes to good use, racing their trucks. They let Simon win the majority of the races. Joss watched John like a hawk seeing a soft expression on his face, a relaxed one since getting to be out and about. She felt bad that he was so bored that he had decided to try an escape. But the moment John yawned she told them it was time up even though it was five minutes early.

Shaw, Taylor, and she all surrounded John who was irritably telling them he could get up without their help but none of them believed him one bit. Even Simon didn't believe him who tried to help lift daddy by pushing on his butt. She and Taylor put John's arms around their shoulders and took most of his weight and helped him back to the bedroom.

Shaw was fluffing his pillows; Simon was climbing his way onto their bed, and patted the mattress beside him. She chuckled. Everyone was doing their part in helping John. Once John was back in bed, Simon curled into him, and began reading to John and his turtle. Shaw tried to check John's bandages and was told to shove off, while she pulled Taylor off to the side.

"Are you alright?" she asked, gazing at John, before looking at her son determinedly.

Taylor smiled. "Yeah, John and I talked, and I feel much better. I am not thrilled that you talked to John about it behind my back, but I am sorry for being so distant to you mom."

"Oh, baby, I love you and I'll do whatever I think is necessary to make you feel better," she assured him, not caring in the least that she went behind his back. She tugged him into her arms. "I'm just glad you are feeling better."

"Me too, I have to go call Hayley and have a long talk with her," he said as he pulled back. "And I think I'm ready to go back to school."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, the university was being really cool about the circumstances, but I'm ready."

"Alright, as long as you are ready than that's what I want," she agreed. He seemed better since talking to John and she was glad for it.

"I'll be in my room talking to Hayley, but mom, can you ease up on John. He's just cranky because he's still not up to snuff and he's extremely bored. He only wanted to get out of bed." She smiled as Taylor pleaded John's case to her. She rubbed his arm.

"Go call your cute little girlfriend," she softly steered her soon, watching as he turned and left. She looked at her husband who was looking at Shaw, annoyed.

"Now that you have successfully looked at my wounds, seen that I didn't do anything to them, can you please leave me be?" he demanded.

"Leave Shaw alone, it's not her fault you are tired, it's your own fault. You shouldn't have gotten out of bed and gone that far, but I know why. You were bored and I'm sorry I didn't get you something besides a crossword puzzle book to keep you occupied."

"It sounds like Carter is gearing up for a lecture, I'm out of here. Catch you later, squirt." Shaw wiggled her fingers under Simon's chin earning a giggle.

"Bye-bye Aunt Saw!" he waved as she exited.

Joss sat next to her husband in bed after he had his outing for the day. He was so weak still, but her son seemed better since talking to him, and she was so grateful. John was slowly healing and that was more than what she could ever ask for. He hated the length it was going to take to get a hundred percent better because he wanted to get back to helping with the numbers, which worried her, but she couldn't change who her husband was.

"John?"

"Hmmm?" he shifted his gaze onto her.

"Thank you for making Taylor happy again. He's going to go back to school now that he feels up to it', she said and he smiled.

"I'm glad."

She nodded her head. "How about I got get our iPad and we watch a show together?" she offered and he groaned.

"Oh god, it's not that 'Scandal' show you want me to watch is it?"

"Darn straight it will be, but being our munchkin is up and with us, I was thinking maybe a kid friendly movie first, and then when he's out then we watch 'Scandal. Or would you prefer a crossword puzzle?"

"Go get the tablet." She smiled but before she did that she moved in swiftly kissing him. Simon giggled softly having paused reading to watch them kiss. She pulled back after kissing him tenderly.

John's eyes opened. "What was that for?"

"Does there have to be a reason for me to kiss my husband?" she asked, cupping his cheek. When John shook his head, she smiled. "I love you John."

"I love you too, Joss, I told you I'd fight til my dying breath to come back to you, to Simon, and Taylor."

She nodded her head. "I know, and I'm going to continue to hold you to that promise," she agreed before leaning over John to give loud smacking kisses to their son who was watching with a smile. He giggled, before she got to her feet. "I'll be right back." She said before she hurried out of the room to go get the tablet, but lifted her eyes to the ceiling. "Thank you god for this life." And with that she hurried down the spiral staircase to go get that tablet.

* * *

AN: Awww shucks it's already over. I'm gonna miss my little family, but maybe I'll write oneshots here and there for them. Thanks for reading, reviewing the series I appreciate the time you guys took XOXOXOXOXOXOX


End file.
